Cellulitis is a type of infection that affects the skin and the tissue underneath. The bacteria, most commonly group A streptococcal bacteria, enter the skin through an opening, such as cut, scrape, burn, or surgical incision, or even a bug bite or sting. Cellulitis can cause sepsis in some people.
Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body’s life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Suggested Citation:
Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Cellulitis. 2023 https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/cellulitis/
Updated December 12, 2023.
The infection is most common on the lower legs, but it can happen anywhere on the body. The symptoms of cellulitis include:
Anyone can develop cellulitis, but some people have a higher risk than others. If you fall into one of the higher risk categories, you should watch any injuries to the skin carefully.
People who are malnourished are also at higher risk of contracting infections.
If you suspect you have cellulitis, see your doctor or nurse practitioner as soon as possible. If you need antibiotics, it is vital that you take them as prescribed, right to the end of the prescription, even if it appears the infection has gone away before the prescription bottle is empty. Ask your doctor or nurse practitioner when you should start seeing improvement. If you feel that the infection is worsening or there is no improvement despite treatment, you should have the infection checked again.
On July 14, 2024, I stepped on a cat’s foot or tail and it bit me. Little did I know that despite seeking medical care and receiving my first antibiotic doses within 36 hours of the bite, that I would end up admitted to the hospital with secondary cellulitis and sepsis by the fifth day following the bite. (Sepsis and Animal Bites, Sepsis and Cellulitis) I was very fortunate that I made it to the hospital before I reached the point of having septic shock. Because the specific bacteria (Strep type A) was not identified until the third day of ... Read Full Story
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Teresa Ray passed away May 26th, 2023, 1pm, from complications from septic shock. She was diagnosed with sepsis from cellulitis and kidney stone that lead to a kidney infection April 14th, 2023. (Sepsis and Septic Shock, Sepsis and Cellulitis, Sepsis and Kidney Stones) She had emergency surgery April 14th, 2023. Further testing was done April 21st, 2023, diagnosed with a neck infection and came home with me April 28th, 2023 on PICC line antibiotic treatment. May 10th 2023 I was talking to her 1 minute and next minute she had a seizure and called 911. I went with her to ... Read Full Story
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Ten months ago on a Tuesday, I developed what I thought were cold symptoms – a sore throat, low grade fever (100) and a swollen lymph node in my neck. Overall I felt okay, it wasn’t anything too unusual. By Thursday, my lymph node was VERY swollen. I called my doctor’s office, and they gave me some suggestions over the phone to help my throat, etc. Later that night, my fever went up to 103. On Friday, one of the doctors finally agreed I should be seen. He tested me for Covid and flu, but not strep because my throat ... Read Full Story
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Blessing was only 6 months when she started being sick. She was irritated and crying nonstop. We went to a general practitioner and she said she was teething. We went home later that night. When I was changing her diaper, I noticed her right leg was swollen I thought it’s nothing serious. I thought it was swollen because of the measles vaccine she got. The following day I noticed she was getting worse so we decided to take her to the local clinic where they sent us to the local hospital. When we got the hospital, while waiting to the ... Read Full Story
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My son was a loving and caring person that would give the shirt off his back to those in need. He slipped up and someone injected him with methamphetamines. The arm was very red and edematous on the 12th of December and he went to the hospital by ambulance seeking medical care. The doctor does a review of systems that is not accurate in describing how my son’s arm actually looked. He states my son was oriented to person and place. The doctor did not think he saw any cellulitis, but non the less as he put it, he did ... Read Full Story
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Cellulitis is a type of infection that affects the skin and the tissue underneath. The bacteria, most commonly group A streptococcal bacteria, enter the skin through an opening, such as cut, scrape, burn, or surgical incision, or even a bug bite or sting.
