Indian Fire rash is another name for impetigo or infantigo. It is a rash that occurs on skin and is caused by bacteria. According to Doctor Decides, this skin infection affects mostly children and infants although it can still affect adults. An infection occurs when the skin is exposed from insect bites, scratches, or cuts, which cause the bacteria on skin to enter the body. The rash accompanying this infection is found occurring in face around the nose and mouth. Other parts of body such as arms and legs may be affected.
Is Indian fire rash contagious?
Yes, Indian fire rash is considered highly contagious and can be spread from one person to another or from one part of skin to another part. When a person scratches the skin, they may spread the bacteria to other exposed parts. People who do not have the infection can get it when they share items that have come in contact with the bacteria such as towels, bed sheets, and toys.
What are the possible causes of Indian fire rash?
The main cause of this condition is bacteria. Two bacteria of the strep and staph species are believed to cause the infection. Streptococcus pyogenes and staphylococcus aureus are the two bacteria that are associated with this skin infection. But these bacteria are found on skin surface and in most of the times, they tend to be harmless unless they have found their way into the body.
When a person exposes the skin through a cut, scratching, insect bite, or other form of trauma, the bacteria can get inside the dermis and cause the infection, which manifests in form of a rash. At other times, the rash may occur on otherwise healthy skin. Some skin conditions such as psoriasis may also cause the bacteria to enter the body. The condition is contagious meaning that sharing items used by an infected person such as towels, bed sheets, or clothes could also increase the chances of getting the infection.
In children, insect bites are attributed to the cause of the infection. In adults, trauma is believed to be the main cause for the exposed skin, which allows the bacteria to get in body. The bacteria that causes the rash can release toxins, which damage the protein, which protects the skin cells. This can increase the spread of the bacteria in a patient.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of Indian fire rash are patches on skin with tiny red bumps. The red bumps then turn into a honey colored plaque of crusts. The red sores rapture and release fluids or pus before they attain the honey color or yellow brown crust.
Itching may occur although not always. Pain may also accompany the lesions though it may also be painless. The blisters filled with fluid tend to be painless but they can be itchy. In severe cases, the pus-filled sores become painful and could turn into ulcers. Sore throat and fever may also accompany the rash.
What forms of Indian fire rash exist?
The common form of Indian fire rash is the impetigo contagiosa, which is characterized by presence of reddish sores on face and around nose. Pus and fluids may fill the blisters, something that increases the chances of transmission to other people. The blisters rapture and form a crust, which leaves red spots, but they heal on their own and do not leave scars.
The second type of Indian fire rash is ecthyma, which tends to attack deeper parts of skin often forming abscess and fluids, which result in ulceration. This type of rash leaves scars and spots on skin after healing contrary to impetigo contagiosa.
The third form of this skin infection is bullous impetigo, and is mainly witnessed in children who are aged below 3 or 4 years. With bullous impetigo, the blisters that forms from sores are filled with pus and can be seen in areas around the arms and legs. The skin may turn itchy and red, and the blisters may be large or small. The itching can increase the chances of transferring the infection to other body parts or other people.
Treatment for Indian fire rash
In most cases, the rash will heal on its own, however, if there are complications as may happen rarely, treatment mainly involves use of antibiotics. A doctor may administer oral or topical antibiotics on skin to fight the infection.
The Indian fire rash is diagnosed based on how it appears though a doctor or dermatologist may want to conduct tests to confirm the infection. The test involves creating a bacteria culture from the specimen picked on sores using a cotton swab. In treatment, topical antibiotic may be applied on the skin especially for non-bullous impetigo. However, for bullous impetigo or resistant form of non-bullous impetigo, a complete prescription for oral antibiotic may be administered.
Indian Fire Rash – Pictures
