Indicators of wound infection include redness, swelling, purulent exudate, smell, pain, and systemic illness in the absence of other foci. Subtle signs of local wound infection include unhealthy “foamy” granulation tissue, contact bleeding, tissue breakdown, and epithelial bridging.
Signs of a wound infection
The skin around your wound is red or sore, or feels hot and swollen. Your wound has liquid (often green or yellow pus) coming out of it. Your wound opens. You feel generally unwell or have a temperature (fever).
(2) Redness and swelling. (3) Increased local temperature. (4) Formation of pus. (5) Cellulitis.
As the wound begins to dry, a crust starts to form in the outer layer. If the crust is yellowish and if there is a formation of pimples on or near the wound, it could be septic. Sores that look like blisters. If there is a formation of sores which look like pockets of fluid around the area, they could be septic.
While some minor wound infections can heal on their own, untreated infected wounds can leave a scar, at best, or lead to more serious complications — including death — at worst.
An infected wound can happen when germs or bacteria find a way into the sensitive tissues beneath our skin via the wound. Infection can develop any time between two to three days after the cut occured, until it's visibly healed.
Fever (this is sometimes the only sign of an infection). Chills and sweats. Change in cough or a new cough. Sore throat or new mouth sore.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if: a wound has soil, pus or body fluids in it, or it's still dirty after cleaning it. you were bitten by a person or a wild or stray animal. a cut is swollen, red and getting more painful or pus is coming out of it.
Antibiotics are used to treat most wound infections. Sometimes, you also may need surgery to treat the infection. You may be started on antibiotics to treat the surgical wound infection. The length of time you will need to take the antibiotics varies, but will typically be for at least 1 week.
Betadine is a broad-spectrum topical iodine solution. Iodine preparations have been used for over 170 years to help treat wounds. An antiseptic is a substance that kills or discourages the growth and development of microorganisms on the skin, wounds and tissues of the body.
Purulent drainage is a sign of infection. It's a white, yellow, or brown fluid and might be slightly thick in texture. It's made up of white blood cells trying to fight the infection, plus the residue from any bacteria pushed out of the wound. There may be an unpleasant smell to the fluid, as well.
Systematic (or whole body) Infection
If untreated, infection in a localised wound can spread to the whole body becoming a serious infection. Bacteria from the localised wound enter the capillaries at the wound site, travel into the larger blood vessels which takes them throughout the body.
You should keep a wound moist and covered for about five days.
Wounds need to be covered so that they can heal properly. When a wound is left uncovered, the new surface cells that are being created can easily dry out. When these important cells dry out, it tends to slow down the healing process. A wound should be covered using a clean bandage.
A little redness and clear or slightly yellow drainage are normal traits for your cut to have. Signs to look out for that may mean your cut is infected include: Increased or darkening redness. More pus or fluid leaking out of the wound.
Using mild soap and water prior to applying antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly and covering with a bandage or dressing is often sufficient in providing a wound the necessary environment to repair itself.
A cut may be left open instead of being closed with stitches, staples, or adhesive. A cut may be left open when it is likely to become infected, because closing it can make infection even more likely. You will probably have a bandage. The doctor may want the cut to stay open the whole time it heals.
2. Treat the Wound with a Topical Antibiotic. Infected cuts and scrapes heal much more slowly than those kept clean and infection-free. One of the best ointments to treat infection is NEOSPORIN® — the #1 doctor recommended brand of topical antibiotic in the US.
Dressings impregnated with iodine can be used to treat clinically infected wounds. Dressings containing silver should be used only when clinical signs or symptoms of infection are present.