title: [Skin and soft tissue infections: classification and epidemiology].
abstract: In the present review, authors take into consideration the classification and the epidemiology of the skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), a set of commonly observed pathologies, which can present different features, relatively to site and localization, clinical characteristics, and aetiological agent, their severity being related to the depth of the interested sites. Given the variable presentation of SSTIs, an assessment of their incidence and prevalence is difficult. In general, the incidence of SSTIs has increased due to the ageing of the general population, the increased number of critically ill patients, the increased number of immunocompromised patients (HIV, cancer and organ transplant patients) and the recent emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Seconda Università degli studi di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petta
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noviello
authors.forename: Ido
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iori
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D019090:Case Management; D015897:Comorbidity; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology