furuncle

Etiology

• Staphylococcus aureus including MRSA (most common)
• Streptococcus pyogenes

Pathology

• localized pyogenic infection orginating deep in a hair follicle (small follicular abscess)

Clinical manifestations

• usually start as red, tender lumps
• the lumps quickly fill with pus, growing larger & more painful until they rupture & drain

* image

Complications

• multiple furuncles may coalesce to form a carbuncle

Management

• incision & drainage may be needed
  • no antibiotics needed unless
    • immunosuppressed patients not responding to incision & drainage
    • signs of systemic infection (fever, tachycardia)
      • Bactrim, doxycycline for MRSA
• many furuncles drain spontaneously
• topical chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) can prevent spreading of infection to adjacent hair follicles

More general terms

• hair disease
• skin infection
• subcutaneous abscess; boil
• bacterial infection

Additional terms

• furunculosis

Component of

• carbuncle (carbunculosis)