
This is the effect of the skin condition on the ear lobe – swollen and painful
Image Klaus D. Peter, Gummersbach, Germany (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0-de (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/de/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
What Causes Erysipelas?
The infection is caused and spread by excessive colonisation of the Streptococcus bacteria, particularly where skin wounds are present. People with existing skin disorders such as ulcers and eczema are at higher risk of erysipelas.
Streptococcus may set in after skin injury including cuts and scrapes, dog or insect bites and following surgery. We may naturally have a presence of the bacteria in our body, but the bacteria will become harmful if over-colonisation is allowed, spreading infection, toxaemia and sepsis.
Editor’s note: You will find the following video helpful for understanding the causes of this skin condition and the best ways of treating it.