Definition

1. Noun:
   • An acute streptococcal infection characterized by deep-red inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes: Erysipelas is a bacterial skin infection, typically caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, that results in a sharply demarcated, painful, red, and swollen area on the skin, often on the face or legs. It may be accompanied by fever and chills.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was diagnosed with erysipelas after presenting with a fiery red rash on his cheek and a high fever.
  • Antibiotics are the standard treatment for erysipelas to combat the streptococcal bacteria.

Advanced Usage

• Medical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in medical and clinical contexts to describe this specific condition.
  • The differential diagnosis included cellulitis and erysipelas.
• Historical/Literary Context: In older texts, it might be referred to more generally as "St. Anthony's fire."
  • The character in the novel suffered from a terrible case of erysipelas.

Variants and Related Words

• Erysipeloid (noun): A skin infection caused by , usually contracted from handling fish or meat, which is less severe than erysipelas.
  • The fisherman developed erysipeloid on his hands.

Synonyms

• St. Anthony's fire (noun, archaic): A historical term for erysipelas, named after the saint associated with its treatment.
  • In the Middle Ages, erysipelas was often called St. Anthony's fire.

Antonyms

• There are no direct antonyms for a specific disease. General opposites could be:
  • Health (noun): the state of being free from illness or injury.
  • Unblemished skin (noun phrase): skin without marks, lesions, or infection.

Notes

• Erysipelas is distinct from, though related to, cellulitis, which is a deeper skin infection with less sharply defined borders.
• It is a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Noun

1. an acute streptococcal infection characterized by deep-red inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes