title: Cellulitis--epidemiological and clinical characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cellulitis is acute skin infection and/or infection of subcutaneous tissue, mostly caused by Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. Clinical preview is usually obvious and enough for diagnosis. Tretment is antimicrobial therapy. In recurrent cases a prophylaxis is very often needed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Analysis some of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cellulitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of medical documentation of patients with clinical preview of cellulitis who were hospitalized in Clinic for infective diseases of Clinical Center of University of Sarajevo in last three years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In period of three years 123 patients were hospitalized with clinical preview of cellulitis in the broadest sense of the word. In 123 of cellulitises, 35/123 (28.45%) were erisipelases-superficial type and 88/123 (71,55%) were deep cellulitises. Men were more affected 56,09%, average of age was 50.22 years. Before hospitalization patients had ambulance treatment in average of 5.12 days, and hospitalization was long in average of 13.33 days. Risk factors wich contributes to the disease were found in 71.54% of cases. Due to localisation, skin disorders on lower limb were the most frequent 71.56%, cellulitis of upper limb were found in 12.19%, head and/or neck in 13.08%, trunk in 3.25%. Repetition of disease were found in 4.8% in patients wtih risk factors. Bacteremic isolats were confirmed in 27.64% of cases. In all patients empirical antibiotic treatment were started, in the 62.60% the first choice of medicine was antibiotic from the group of lincosamides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cellulitis is very serious disease that can be prevented.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. melica74@gmail.com
authors.forename: Meliha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadzovic-Cengic
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sejtarija-Memisevic
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koluder-Cimic
authors.forename: Enra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lukovac
authors.forename: Snjezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehanic
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadzic
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasimbegovic-lbrahimovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004886:Erysipelas / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult