[Conditions mimicking acute bacterial skin and soft tissue infections]

Acute bacterial skin and soft tissue infections represent a common clinical problem, and accurate diagnosis is crucial for initiating appropriate therapy. However, conditions such as cellulitis and erysipelas can be clinically mimicked by a variety of non-infectious conditions, including eczematous, venous, lymphatic, and autoimmune diseases. This review summarizes the key differences in clinical presentation, patient history, and laboratory findings that help distinguish true infections from their non-infectious mimickers. Special attention is given to conditions such as microbial eczema, herpes zoster, stasis dermatitis, lymphedema, vasculitis, and other less common causes. Accurate differential diagnosis is essential for preventing unnecessary antibiotic use, minimizing complications, and initiating targeted therapy. Keywords: bacterial skin diseases, soft tissue infections, cellulitis, phlegmon, erysipelas, differential diagnosis.