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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that increase the risk of impetigo include:

  • Age. Although anyone can develop impetigo, it most commonly occurs in children ages 2 to 6.
  • Crowded conditions. Impetigo spreads easily in schools and child care settings.
  • Warm, humid weather. Impetigo infections are more common in summer.
  • Certain sports. Participation in sports that involve skin-to-skin contact, such as football or wrestling, increases your risk of developing impetigo.
  • Broken skin. The bacteria that cause impetigo often enter your skin through a small skin injury, insect bite or rash.

Older adults and people with diabetes or a compromised immune system are more likely to develop ecthyma, a deeper and more serious form of impetigo.

Complications Causes
References
  1. Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  2. Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..X0001-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  3. Baddour LM. Impetigo. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  4. AskMayoExpert. Impetigo. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  5. Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2013:5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-08373-7..00002-9&isbn=978-0-323-08373-7&about=true&uniqId=343863096-23. Accessed Feb. 27, 2013.
  6. Impetigo care. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/skin/Pages/Impetigo.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token. Accessed Feb. 27, 2013.
  7. Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 12, 2013.
  8. Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology.6th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=45. Accessed Feb. 28, 2013.
  9. Baddour LM. Patient information: Impetigo (beyond the basics). http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Feb. 28, 2013.
DS00464 May 15, 2013

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