Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) can cause mortality and morbidity among hospitalized patients and pose a major therapeutic challenge worldwide [1]. Uncomplicated SSTIs can be managed successfully in outpatient settings, but complicated infections require complex management [1]. This article gives an overview of the pathophysiology of various SSTIs in outpatient and inpatient settings.
SSTIs are common infections, involving a microbial invasion of skin layers (epidermis and dermis) and underlying soft tissues (superficial fascia, subcutaneous tissues, and muscle), depending on the severity [2,3,4]. Mild infections present with local symptoms, whereas moderate and severe SSTIs have systemic symptoms including high temperature >38◦C, heart rate >90 beats/min, respiratory rate >24 breaths/min, or white blood cell counts > 12x103 cells/mm3 [5]. Pathogenesis [3] The skin is the first…
