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Erythrasma 

What is Erythrasma?

Erythrasma is a mild and often chronic skin infection in skin folds.

What causes Erythrasma?

This disease is caused by corynebacterium minutissimum. The organism’s growth is favored by the moist, occluded areas of skin folds: groin, armpit, buttock folds, underneath breasts, and areas around the belly button.

What are the signs and symptoms of Erythrasma?

This rash appears as irregular, red, defined patches covered with fine scales and wrinkling. With time, the red color fades to brown. This rash is typically asymptomatic, but mild itching may be present.

The interdigital (between fingers and toes) variant is the most common bacterial infection of the foot. It frequently presents as a symptomatic, chronic maceration with fissuring or scaling of the space between the fingers and toes.
A disciform variant exists which occurs outside the classically involved skin fold areas. This generalized form is most commonly seen in diabetics, and can often be the presenting manifestation of type II diabetes.

Who is at risk for Erythrasma?

People who live in warm environments, excessively sweat, have skin of color, diabetics, are obese, have poor hygiene, have advanced age and/or are immunocompromised are at higher risk for development of this rash. Erythrasma is much more common in adults than in children.

How is Erythrasma diagnosed?

A dermatologist or dermatology provider can diagnose erythrasma by its bright coral red fluorescence, under a Wood’s light.

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