Intertrigo and secondary skin infections

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Intertrigo is a superficial inflammatory dermatitis affecting opposing skin surfaces.
• It results from moisture, friction, and poor ventilation, exacerbated by bodily secretions.
• Skin folds are prone to erythema, scaling, and breakdown, increasing infection risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the etiology, clinical presentation, and management of intertrigo and its associated infections.
• To highlight diagnostic methods for differentiating fungal and bacterial superinfections.
• To outline appropriate therapeutic strategies for various causative agents.

Main Methods:

• Clinical examination to identify characteristic erythema and scaling in skin folds.
• Potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation for suspected candidal infections.
• Bacterial culture and Wood lamp examination for bacterial superinfections.

Main Results:

• Candidal intertrigo often presents with satellite lesions, diagnosable via KOH prep.
• Bacterial superinfections include group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus and Corynebacterium minutissimum.
• Fungal infections respond to topical antifungals; bacterial infections require topical or oral antibiotics.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of intertrigo involves addressing moisture, friction, and ventilation.
• Accurate diagnosis of secondary infections is crucial for targeted therapy.
• Treatment varies from topical antifungals to oral antibiotics based on the identified pathogen.