Scalded skin syndrome is a contagious disease that consists of a skin reaction to infection by certain species of bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus, which release a toxic substance that promotes peeling of the skin, leaving it looking like burned skin.
Newborns and babies are more susceptible to this syndrome because their immune system is not yet well developed. However, it can also occur in older children or adults, especially those with weakened immune or kidney systems.
- Treatment involves the administration of antibiotics and analgesics and the application of moisturizers that accelerate skin recovery.
Symptoms of this syndrome begin with the onset of an isolated wound, most often in the diaper area or around the rest of the umbilical cord, in infants, in the face, in older children, or even anywhere in the body, in the case of adults.
After 2 or 3 days, the site of the infection begins to show other signs such as:
Over time, if the infection is not treated, the toxin continues to spread throughout the body, beginning to affect other parts of the body and becoming more visible in places of friction such as buttocks, skin folds, hands or feet, for example. .
During this aggravation process, the upper layer of the skin begins to break into pieces, giving way to a burnt skin, with water bubbles that break easily, also causing symptoms such as fever, chills, weakness, irritability, loss of appetite, conjunctivitis. or even dehydration.
This disease is caused by certain subspecies of the bacteria Staphylococcus, which enter the body through a cut or injury and release toxins that hinder the healing of the skin and its ability to maintain the structure, causing the appearance of the surface layer. skin, similar to a burn.
These toxins can spread to the rest of the body through the bloodstream and reach the skin of the entire body, and can even cause a serious and widespread infection, known as sepsis. See the symptoms of sepsis to consider.
However, Staphylococcus is still present on the skin, without causing any infection in healthy people. For example, scalded skin syndrome is usually only at risk for people with weakened immune systems, such as infants or adults with serious or postoperative diseases, for example.
Treatment usually involves intravenous and subsequently oral antibiotics, analgesics such as acetaminophen and moisturizers to protect new skin forming. For newborns with this syndrome, it is usually kept in an incubator.
The surface layer of the skin renews rapidly and heals approximately 5 to 7 days after the start of treatment. However, if not treated in a timely manner, this infection can cause pneumonia, infectious cellulite or even a widespread infection.