Impetigo Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms of impetigo appear 4-10 days after exposure.

Symptoms may include:

• Red spots, sores, or blisters, present on the skin of the face, arms, legs or other parts of the body, that:
  • Ooze and become covered with a flat, dry, honey-colored crust
  • Itch
  • May increase in size
  • Spread, especially if scratched
• Swollen lymph nodes, in more serious cases

Normally, impetigo is a fairly mild condition. However, if left untreated, further problems could develop. This can include pain, swelling, spread of infection, discharge of pus, or fever. In rare cases, people whose impetigo is caused by Group A Streptococcus may develop:

• Glomerulonephritis
• Scarlet fever
• Life-threatening invasive streptococcal disease

Diagnosis

The doctor will examine your skin lesions. Your doctor will also ask about your symptoms and medical history. Initial diagnosis is based on the appearance of your skin lesions.

If you have impetigo, a culture of the skin lesion may be done. This will show what specific bacteria are involved.