Diagnosis-skin and soft tissue infections

Differential Diagnosis of Cellulitis

• Clinical diagnosis based on physical examination
• Cultures from intact skin are not helpful and should not be performed (CID 2014;59:e10)
• BCx are typically low yield (~5–10%)
• Ultrasound can be used to identify deep abscesses and facilitate drainage. If abscess is found, incision/drainage is key to treatment.
• Aspirate from an abscess may provide microbiologic dx