Impetigo, also known as school sores, is a type of contagious skin infection that’s actually an incredibly infectious condition. This condition is mainly characterized by the inflamed blisters that cover the skin that seep pus and form crusts on its surface.
About Impetigo
Impetigo is mainly caused by two types of bacteria. These bacteria are known as the Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. These bacteria can actually live rather harmlessly on the surface of the skin and even on the inside of various areas within the body, including the nose.
Cuts and abrasions to the skin can cause both bacteria to enter the skin’s tissues, causing further infection. Even healthy and unadulterated skin can develop Impetigo at some point. As long as the bacteria is present on the body, the condition can start settling in.
Impetigo is known as school sores since it mostly manifests in school-aged children. It also commonly affects people during warmer months of the year. The condition itself, as mentioned, mostly looks like small blisters that crust over after the pus within the blisters seep out. Most blisters from Impetigo form on the face, arms or legs of the body.
Impetigo doesn’t cause long lasting damage to the skin or the body. It’s contagious, so children should be kept out of school to prevent themselves from infecting other children.
The Incubation Period of Impetigo
When it comes to the bacterial skin infection Impetigo, the incubation period is generally the period from the moment that a child is exposed to the bacteria to the onset of its known symptoms.
Most children incubate Impetigo for a period of one to three days, usually for infections from the Streptococcal bacteria. For infections of Impetigo caused by the Staphylococcal bacteria, the incubation period generally lasts as little as four days and as long as 10 days.
The symptoms are also known not to develop until that particular infection occurs. Naturally, symptoms will vary between children and the type of bacteria that infected them with Impetigo. Most children, as mentioned, are at risk of developing Impetigo, as they’re often put in situations where they’re most likely to interact with carriers of the Impetigo-causing bacteria.
Many children often contract Impetigo by touching or interacting with others who may be carrying the Streptococcal or Staphylococcal bacteria. They’re also more likely to develop Impetigo if they have any type of skin cuts or abrasions when in contact with the bacteria that cause Impetigo.
