Cellulitis is a skin infection brought about by bacteria. Many people are curious about how one gets this disease and what cellulitis does to the body. To make things clearer, let us follow the pathophysiology of cellulitis.
The Microorganism
The bacteria responsible for the development of Cellulitis are usually of the Staphylococcus or Streptococcus group. Staphylococcus aureus is essentially a non-harmful bacterium. This type of bacteria can be normally found on the skin surface. Its presence does not cause any disease at all. However, when the skin barrier is broken such as in a cut, wound, surgical incision or other methods, the bacteria enters the deeper portions of the skin. Once inside the deeper dermis and subcutaneous layer, S. aureus could cause cellulitis.
How Infection Starts
The next phase in the cellulitis disease process is the infection phase. Here, the body recognizes that the bacterium is a foreign element in the body. The body then responds with causing redness, swelling, pain, itchiness and decrease in mobility of the skin site involved. These signs and symptoms are the typical symptoms of infection. The body does this in an effort to kill the bacteria, which it sees as foreign to the body. The infection process is the body’s mechanism to defend itself from dangers such as these foreign bacteria. It also serves as a warning to the body that something is wrong so that a person may respond appropriately. Through the signs and symptoms of infection, a person is made aware of the problem inside the body. He can then take the necessary steps to prevent or stop the infection process.
The Body Reacts
The cellulitis disease cycle normally ends with local infection or inflammation. However, when the body cannot compensate or if the infection becomes too much for the body to handle, the body also suffers. This could sometimes lead to systemic infections that spread via the blood or cellulitis that affects the vital organs. This type of reaction happens in people with very weak immune systems. It affects people with AIDS, individuals taking immunosuppressant medications and those with other illnesses. You can stop cellulitis from becoming full blown through taking the necessary means of treating local and simple cellulitis.
