Bullous erysipelas: A retrospective study of 26 patients

Abstract

Background: Erysipelas is a superficial form of cellulitis caused by a variety of microbes, and it responds to antibiotic treatment. During the past few years we treated several patients with a bullous form of erysipelas involving the lower legs. We believe their disease had a more protracted course than patients with nonbullous erysipelas.

Objective: We studied bullous erysipelas by conducting a retrospective analysis of 26 patients with bullous erysipelas of the legs treated by the authors during a 5-year period.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the records of all patients with a diagnosis of bullous erysipelas who were treated at the Department of Dermatology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, between the years 1992 and 1996. Data regarding patients with nonbullous erysipelas were obtained from the medical center's computerized data pool.

Results: A total of 26 cases of bullous erysipelas were found, comprising 22 women and 4 men whose ages ranged from 28 to 87 (mean, 58.8) years. The average hospital stay was 20.57 days (range, 12 to 46 days). The average hospital stay for patients with nonbullous erysipelas and cellulitis treated in the same department by the authors during the study period was 10.6 days (range, 2 to 54 days).

Conclusion: Bulla formation is a complication of erysipelas, seen in our series in 5.2% of the patients (26 of 498 admissions for erysipelas and cellulitis). The course of the disease is protracted, requiring longer medical attention.