Facial Cellulitis and Erysipelas with Cutaneous Portal of Entry: Five Cases in Brazzaville, Congo
Authors
Edith Sophie Bayonne-Kombo1,2, Yanichka Voumbo-Mavoungou1 and Alphonse Gathsé2 1Dermatology and Infectious Diseases Department, Talangaï Hospital, 35 avenue des 3 martyrs, Brazzaville, Congo; 2Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Avenue des jeux africains, Brazzaville, Congo
Objectives: This study aimed to describe the clinical, therapeutic and evolutional features of facial cellulitis or erysipelas (CorE) with cutaneous entry portal. Methods: It was a retrospective study, carried out from January 2016 to May 2019 including inpatients, aged 15 years or older, admitted for CorE with a cutaneous entry portal. Demographic, clinical and biological data were studied. Results: Five patients were included and accounted for 3.12% of hospitalized cases for CorE. Three were erysipelas and two were cellulites. A previous history of CorE was not found. The entry portal was skin erosion due to herpesviruses infection in four cases and traumatic wound in one case. The systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria were observed in all patients. Erysipelas was differentiated from cellulite by the clear demarcation of erythema. The other local aspects found were edema, bullae and purpuric lesions. HIV seropositivity was detected in four patients and one patient was diabetic. The antibiotic regimen was amoxicillin / clavulanic acid in 3 cases and ceftriaxone in 2 cases. Healing was obtained in all patients without sequelae of CorE. The mean hospital stay was 11 days. Conclusion: Facial cellulite and erysipelas are two clinically distinct entities. The bacteriological diagnosis is still difficult and lead to the use of probabilistic antibiotic protocols. The specific risk factors for facial CorE are still unclear. These diseases require the search for comorbidity.
