The dermatologist's role in managing skin and soft tissue infections

Dermatologists are often the first point of care for patients with skin and soft tissue bacterial infections. First, physical examination and patient history are central points of assessment to determine severity of infection, pathogen involved, and appropriate course of action. As preexisting conditions may exert a role both in the etiology of an infection and in the choice of antibiotic therapy prescribed, the clinician must be aware of the right questions to ask to achieve a complete diagnostic picture. Finally, the clinician should have a good understanding of the drugs most appropriate for different pathogens and have clear expectations of how quickly the infection should respond to therapy.