Duration | Skin rash due to streptococci

Duration

If a streptococcal exanthema occurs, it usually appears in the first days of illness and disappears after about 1 week, similar to the streptococcal infection itself.After the redness has subsided, the skin becomes scaly, which lasts for a few days. The skin rash including scaling is thus over after 1-2 weeks.

Localization of the infection

Streptococci in the nose belong partly to the bacteria of our normal mouth and throat flora, partly not. Nevertheless, the population shows a high rate of streptococci in the mouth, nose and throat. As a rule, the human immune system is strong enough to keep the number of bacteria in check, so that the pathogens do not multiply too much and infection does not occur.

However, if the immune system is weakened, the bacteria can multiply so much that an infection occurs. Among the physiologically occurring streptococci, i.e. those that are found on the mucous membranes anyway, are for example Streptococcus mutans. Streptococcus pyogenes, the causative agent of scarlet fever, is one of the non-naturally occurring streptococci.

Bacteria in urine usually occur in the case of a bladder infection. Worse and in significantly higher numbers, if the infection affects not only the bladder but also the upper urinary tract or even the kidneys. To confirm the diagnosis, a cup of urine is usually collected and its contents examined for bacteria.

The contents of the cup are examined for bacteria. Streptococci are found in the potentially encountered bacterial species, which are also examined for. Particularly prominent is Streptococcus agalactiae, which often leads to urethritis or bladder infections.

In order to be able to carry out a clear examination of the urine, it is important that the urine is collected from the middle of the peeing process, as the first millilitres may still contain impurities which would then falsify the result. The face is not the most typical site for exanthema, but it also shows changes in many streptococcal infections. The best known streptococcal rash, the scarlet exanthema, first affects the upper body and spreads from there.

The face is more easily affected, but paleness (especially around the mouth) and a reddened tongue, the so-called “strawberry tongue“, is noticeable here. The erysipelas, on the other hand, which is also called erysipelas in the vernacular, can by all means primarily affect the face. However, this is not a real rash, but an acute inflammation of the skin and connective tissue, which is caused by the penetration of streptococci via e.g. a small wound.

Other inflammations of the skin caused by streptococci and other pathogens are also possible. Therefore, if only the face shows changes that additionally show symptoms of an acute inflammation (overheating, pain, swelling, etc. ), this may also be caused by streptococci, but then it is not a classic exanthema but a local inflammation.