Advances in clinical aspects of erysipelas

Erysipelas, an infectious disease involving deep tissue, is mostly caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. Recently, there have been reports on erysipelas at rare locations, recurrent erysipelas and refractory erysipelas. Due to the special pathogenesis of erysipelas at rare locations, conventional treatment doesn't work. The complications of erysipelas are diverse and complex. Vascular damage caused by surgical treatment and postoperative chemoradiation therapy make erysipelas easy to relapse. Abuse of antibiotics and glucocorticoids as well as emergence of resistant bacteria lead to the occurrence of refractory erysipelas. These types of erysipelas interrelate with and influence each other, resulting in poor response to single penicillin treatment. This review summarizes the pathogenesis of as well as prevention and treatment approaches to the three types of erysipelas, which may benefit the improvement of its prognosis. Key words: Erysipelas; Body regions; Risk factors; Therapeutic uses