Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 26, 2025
Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay
Published on: April 28, 2014
Cellulitis in children: a retrospective single centre study from Australia
Elise Salleo1,2, Conor I MacKay1,2, Jeffrey Cannon1,3
1Medical School, The University of Western Australia Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Insights
Paediatric cellulitis, common in children under 5 and Aboriginal children, often affects extremities. Facial cellulitis frequently requires hospital admission, with Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes being primary causes.
Area of Science:
- Paediatric infectious diseases
- Epidemiology of skin infections
- Microbiology of cellulitis
Background:
- Cellulitis is a frequent cause of paediatric hospital visits.
- Understanding its epidemiology and clinical features is crucial for effective management.
- Tertiary paediatric hospitals manage a significant number of cellulitis cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the epidemiology of paediatric cellulitis.
- To describe the clinical features and common body sites affected.
- To identify causative organisms and preferred treatment strategies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of paediatric patients presenting to a tertiary hospital in Western Australia.
- Inclusion criteria: inpatient and emergency department records from 2018.
- Data collected on demographics, affected sites, microbiological investigations, and antibiotic treatment.
Main Results:
- 302 episodes of cellulitis were analyzed; 68.2% required admission.
- Extremities were the most common site; facial cellulitis was more frequent in admitted patients.
- Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes were the predominant pathogens; flucloxacillin was the preferred antibiotic.
Conclusions:
- Cellulitis is a common paediatric condition, with extremity involvement being most prevalent.
- Facial cellulitis is a predictor of hospital admission.
- Aboriginal children and those under 5 years were disproportionately affected; early treatment of impetigo and scabies is key for prevention.
Aim:
To characterise the epidemiology, clinical features and treatment of paediatric cellulitis.
Methods:
A retrospective study of children presenting to a paediatric tertiary hospital in Western Australia, Australia in 2018. All inpatient records from 1 January to 31 December 2018 and emergency department presentations from 1 July to 31 December 2018 were screened for inclusion.
Results:
302 episodes of cellulitis were included comprising 206 (68.2%) admitted children and 96 (31.8%) non-admitted children. The median age was 5 years (IQR 2-9), 40 (13.2%) were Aboriginal and 180 (59.6%) boys. The extremities were the most commonly affected body site among admitted and non-admitted patients. There was a greater proportion of facial cellulitis in admitted patients (27.2%) compared with non-admitted patients (5.2%, p<0.01). Wound swab was the most frequent microbiological investigation (133/302, 44.0%), yielding positive cultures in the majority of those tested (109/133, 82.0%). The most frequent organisms identified were Staphylococcus aureus (94/109, 86.2%) (methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (60/94, 63.8%), methicillin-resistant S. aureus) and Streptococcus pyogenes (22/109, 20.2%) with 14 identifying both S. aureus and S. pyogenes. Intravenous flucloxacillin was the preferred antibiotic (154/199, 77.4%), with median intravenous duration 2 days (IQR 2-3), oral 6 days (IQR 5-7) and total 8 days (IQR 7-10).
Conclusions:
Cellulitis is a common reason for presentation to a tertiary paediatric hospital. We confirm a high prevalence of extremity cellulitis and demonstrate that children with facial cellulitis often require admission. Cellulitis disproportionately affected Aboriginal children and children below 5 years. Prevention of cellulitis involves early recognition and treatment of skin infections such as impetigo and scabies.
