A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF SOME CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF IMPETIGO PATIENTS SEEN IN DERMATOLOGY CLINIC IN THE EASTERN PROVINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA

BACKGROUND: Impetigo is a common contagious superficial skin infection, most frequently seen in children. OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical and epidemiological features of impetigo patients seen in the dermatology clinic of King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of impetigo patients seen in the dermatology clinic at KFHU, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, during the period January 1990 to December 2001. Data collected from patients’ records included demographic features, clinical features, investigations and treatment. Only patients with positive skin culture were included in the study. RESULTS: The total number of patients included in this study was 65 and constituted 0.08% of all the cases presenting with dermatology problems in that period. Males were affected by impetigo more than the females, giving a ratio of 1.7:1. The majority of the cases occurred in children less than 10 years of age, and the bullous form of impetigo was the predominant type. The sites affected by impetigo were mainly the extremities and the face. The highest number of patients was seen during summer and Staphylococcus was the most common causative agent. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence of impetigo in Saudi Arabia is unknown and can be best defined by prospective community-based study. The diagnosis and management of impetigo is best achieved by microbiological cultures and sensitivities laboratory investigations.