Impetigo, << `ihm` puh TY goh, >> is a contagious skin infection that chiefly afflicts children. The infection causes blisters filled with pus to erupt on the skin. In most cases, the blisters appear on the hands and face. They break and leave raw, red sores covered by a yellow crust. If impetigo is not treated, it may result in serious internal infections, especially in newborns.
Impetigo is caused by two kinds of bacteria–staphylococci and streptococci–which grow in the pus of the blisters. Impetigo can spread through traces of pus left on towels, clothing, or other articles handled by an infected person. Physicians treat impetigo with antibiotic pills and with an antibiotic ointment that is applied to infected areas. With treatment, impetigo heals in about a week. It does not leave scars.
