dermatologic disorders
Cutaneous Abscess
Introduction
A cutaneous abscess is a localized collection of pus in the skin and may occur on any skin surface. Symptoms and signs are pain and a tender and firm or fluctuant swelling. Diagnosis is usually by clinical examination. Treatment is incision and drainage and sometimes antibiotics. (See also Overview of Bacterial Skin Infections .) Risk factors for cutaneous abscesses include the following: Bacterial overgrowth Antecedent trauma (particularly when a foreign body is present) Immunosuppression Impaired circulation Bacteria causing cutaneous abscesses are typically indigenous to the skin of the involved area. For abscesses on the trunk, extremities, axillae, or head and neck, the most common organisms areStaphylococcus aureus(with methicillin-resistantS. aureus[MRSA] being the most common in the United States) and streptococci. Abscesses in the perineal (ie, inguinal, vaginal, buttock, perirectal) region contain organisms found in the stool, commonly anaerobes or a combination of aerobes and anaerobes (see table). Furuncles and Carbuncles are types of cutaneous abscesses. 