Impetigo vs Hand Foot and Mouth Disease - Differences in Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Understanding Impetigo and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Impetigo and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) are two common skin conditions that primarily affect children. While their names may sound similar and they both cause skin lesions, these conditions have distinct differences. Understanding the differences between impetigo and HFMD can help parents seek appropriate treatment.

What is Impetigo?

Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection. It is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria penetrating damaged or broken skin and spreading to cause infection.

Impetigo leads to itchy, red sores or blisters that rupture easily. These blisters leak fluid and develop honey-colored crusts. Impetigo often occurs around the nose and mouth but can spread to other areas of the body.

Common Symptoms of Impetigo

Some common symptoms of impetigo include:

• Itchy, red sores or blisters, usually around the nose and mouth
• Honey-colored scabs or crusts on broken blisters
• Oozing and weeping clear or cloudy fluid from blisters
• Rash that spreads to face, arms, legs or other areas if left untreated
• Swollen lymph nodes near infected areas

What Triggers Impetigo?

Common triggers for impetigo include:

• Minor cuts, abrasions or insect bites that introduce bacteria into skin
• Warm, humid weather that creates optimal conditions for bacterial growth
• Poor hygiene and not keeping affected areas clean
• Sharing towels, clothes, bedding or toys with an infected person
• Weak immune system from other illnesses or conditions

Who Gets Impetigo?

Impetigo more commonly occurs in:

• Infants and young children ages 2 to 5 years
• Athletes involved in contact sports
• People with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis
• People with weakened immune systems
• People who live in warm, humid climates

What is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a mild, highly contagious viral infection. It is caused by viruses like coxsackievirus A6 and A16. These viruses belong to the enterovirus group, which also causes polio and flu.

As the name suggests, HFMD leads to sores and ulcers in the mouth and blisters on hands, feet and sometimes, the buttocks and legs. HFMD often affects infants and children under 10 years but can also occur in teens and adults.

Common Symptoms of HFMD

Typical HFMD symptoms include:

• Painful red spots or blisters on palms, fingers, soles and other areas
• Shallow ulcers inside the mouth on tongue, gums, insides of cheek
• Sore throat
• Mild fever
• Irritability and loss of appetite in infants and toddlers
• Body aches

What Triggers HFMD?

HFMD often spreads due to:

• Contact with an infected person’s saliva, fluid from blisters, stool
• Coughing or sneezing by an infected person
• Touching contaminated objects like toys or furniture
• Not washing hands properly after changing diapers

Who Gets HFMD?

Those most at risk of contracting the HFMD virus include:

• Infants and children under age 10
• People working closely with children like teachers or daycare staff
• New mothers
• Parents
• People with compromised immunity

Key Differences Between Impetigo and HFMD

While both impetigo and HFMD affect the skin, there are some notable ways to distinguish between them.

Causes

Impetigo is caused by streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria while HFMD is caused by viruses like coxsackievirus and enterovirus.

Areas Affected

While impetigo often occurs around the nose and mouth, HFMD causes blisters on the palms, fingers, soles of feet and sometimes knees, elbows or buttocks.

Type of Rash

Impetigo leads to oozing blisters and honey-colored crusts while HFMD causes painful red spots or blisters.

Other Symptoms

Besides skin lesions, impetigo may cause swollen lymph nodes while HFMD often has fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers and body ache.

Complications

Without treatment, impetigo can lead to more severe infections like cellulitis or sepsis. HFMD is usually mild and resolves without complications.

Contagious Period

Impetigo is contagious for 2-3 weeks if adequate treatment is not received. HFMD is contagious for about a week after symptoms begin.

Treatment

Impetigo requires topical or oral antibiotics while HFMD usually resolves on its own with supportive treatment.

Treating and Preventing Impetigo

Medical Treatment

Doctors often prescribe topical antibiotics like mupirocin if impetigo is limited to a small area. Oral antibiotics like dicloxacillin are prescribed for widespread impetigo or when topical antibiotics prove ineffective. Common antibiotic creams, gels or ointments include bacitracin, polymyxin B and neomycin.

Home Care

Alongside antibiotics, try these home remedies:

• Apply a warm, wet washcloth over scabs to loosen them
• Gently remove loose crusts and scabs
• Keep sores clean by washing with antimicrobial soap 2-3 times a day
• Apply petroleum jelly to form barrier over exposed skin
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve pain
• Make a baking soda paste with a little water and apply to sores for 10 minutes for relief from itching

Prevention Tips

Here are some tips to help prevent impetigo:

• Ensure good hygiene with regular handwashing using antibacterial soap
• Take kids for bubble baths instead of shared bathtubs to prevent spread
• Avoid contact sports until infection clears
• Use separate towels, clothes, bedding while infected
• Disinfect countertops, sinks, toys and other surfaces
• Trim nails to prevent spread from scratching
• Avoid touching, itching or bursting blisters

Treating and Preventing HFMD

Medical Care

There is no specific treatment for HFMD since it is a viral infection. Doctors often recommend:

• Antiviral medications only for people at high risk for complications
• Over-the-counter pain and fever relievers
• Antiseptic mouthwashes and sprays for mouth ulcers
• Topical anesthetics to relieve pain from mouth blisters

Home Care

To manage symptoms at home:

• Increase fluid intake and eat soft, bland foods
• Avoid acidic or spicy food and beverages
• Apply cool compresses to blisters for comfort
• Keep blisters clean to prevent bacterial infection
• Give pain relievers like acetaminophen to young kids if feverish

Preventing HFMD

You can reduce the likelihood of the HFMD virus spreading by taking these precautions:

• Practice good hand hygiene by washing hands with soap often
• Sanitize frequently touched surfaces like toys, cribs, tabletops
• Avoid close contact with infected people
• Teach kids to cover mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Avoid public places and keep kids with HFMD home from school
• Ensure proper diaper hygiene when changing babies
• Disinfect eating utensils, cups and plates with hot, soapy water

When to See a Doctor

Call your doctor if:

• Impetigo doesn’t improve within 2 days of starting antibiotics
• Infected area becomes warm, increasingly swollen, painful
• Symptoms are severe or spreading to other areas of the body
• Fever from HFMD lasts beyond 3 days
• There are signs of dehydration like fewer wet diapers or tears
• You or your child has a compromised immune system

Seeking timely treatment is crucial, especially for impetigo, to prevent complications like kidney inflammation or infections like cellulitis, meningitis or staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS).

The Bottom Line

Understanding whether symptoms indicate impetigo versus HFMD allows quicker diagnosis and treatment.

Remember, impetigo is a bacterial infection while HFMD is caused by an enterovirus. Impetigo requires antibiotic therapy and extra hygiene measures to ensure healing and halt transmission. In contrast, HFMD usually resolves on its own with supportive treatment and prevention methods to limit spread.

Seeing a doctor right away if symptoms are severe or worsening can help address complications. Knowing what triggers each condition and how to prevent spread also keeps families healthy.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.