Guidelines
Nonpurulent Cellulitis

Nonpurulent Cellulitis

Empiric Treatment

Severity criteria are for guidance only:

  • Various severity classification schemes have been developed to assist in management
  • None of these schemes have been validated and they are meant for guidance only
    • For example, not every immunocompromised patient has a severe cellulitis

No systemic signs of infection

  • Systemic signs of infection (e.g. fever, chills, nausea)
  • Lymphangitis and/or rapidly advancing edge
  • SIRS = Two or more of
    • Temp greater than 38ºC or less than 36ºC
    • Respiratory rate greater than 24 breaths/min
    • Heart rate greater than 90 bpm
    • WBC greater than 12 or less than 4x10⁹/L
  • Immunocompromise
  • Deep infection: Bullae, skin sloughing
  • End organ dysfunction

More Information

  1. Antibiotics Why and Why Not 2018 Dalhousie CPD Academic Detailing Service, November 2018.
  2. Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, et al. Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: 2014 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2014;59(2): e10–52.
  3. Raff AB, Kroshinsky D. Clinical Review and Education: Cellulitis. JAMA. 2016;316(3):325-337 .