Councilman Carlos Bolsonaro (Republicanos-RJ) used a channel on the Telegram messaging app to post a photo of President Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) leg on Sunday (4).
According to him, the photo was “taken a few days ago” and the president has erysipelas, a type of bacterial infection that affects the skin and causes inflammation.
“I was informed that at this stage I was already in the process of recovery and everything is going very well”, he informed.
News that the president was recovering from a leg wound began to circulate shortly after the second round of the 2022 elections, in which Bolsonaro was defeated by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).
Understand below what erysipelas is, what are the main symptoms of the disease and how doctors usually diagnose and treat this problem.
bacterial invasion
The Association of British Dermatologists explains that the condition begins with an injury to the leg.
It is precisely through this breach that some bacteria will enter the body and settle in the superficial layers of skin and fat.
And the beginning of the disease does not depend on a very big wound: a scratch, an insect bite or an injection can already serve as a gateway for these microorganisms.
Other possible causes of the disease are:
- chilblains;
- mycoses;
- atopic dermatitis;
- Ulcers on the skin;
- Swelling of the lymphatic vessels (known as lymphedema)
- Excessive alcohol consumption;
- Diseases that affect the liver;
- Obesity;
- Poorly controlled diabetes;
- Immunological problems due to age, illness or the use of specific medications.
The MSD Manual states that the most common bacteria in erysipelas are group A Streptococci.
Other agents that may also be behind the picture are: Staphylococcus aureus🇧🇷 Klebsiella pneumoniae🇧🇷 Haemophilus influenzae🇧🇷 Escherichia colibetween others.
The symptoms
The Ministry of Health explains that the first signs of erysipelas “may be those common to any infection: chills, high fever, weakness, headache, malaise, nausea and vomiting”.
Skin changes do not take long to appear. In the simplest cases, they manifest as redness, swelling and pain.
But some patients develop dark blisters (yellow and brown) or wounds due to necrosis (the death of cells in the region).
Another common sign of erysipelas is a swelling located in the groin, popularly known as ingua.
The disease tends to appear more frequently in the legs, especially in the region just above the ankles, and on the face.
The Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery estimates that the disease affects up to 15% of the world’s population at some point in their lives.
The disease is more common in people over 60, who have a higher rate of circulation problems in blood and lymphatic vessels.
It is worth noting that erysipelas is not a contagious disease.
Diagnosis and treatment
The characteristics of the lesion are enough for a doctor to recognize erysipelas during the evaluation in the office.
In some situations, the condition can be confused with bacterial cellulitis, which is also a skin infection. The difference is that the second problem affects deeper layers of the skin.
The Brazilian Society of Dermatology suggests that “treatment should be instituted as soon as possible”.
Antibiotics like penicillin are the basis for killing bacteria that are infecting the skin.
The prescription depends on a doctor’s prescription – and the treatment must be followed strictly to avoid relapses or the return of the infection after an initial improvement.
In addition to medication, health professionals usually indicate rest and keep the affected leg in elevation. These tactics are important for decreasing swelling and speeding recovery.
In more serious situations, when the skin injury is very complicated, specialists need to resort to surgeries to remove and drain the areas with pus and necrosis.
Another key aspect of treatment is dealing with the triggering factor for the infection.
That is: the patient needs to take care of and control chilblains, mycoses, inflammations and other entry points for microorganisms, to avoid new erysipelas in the future.
forms of prevention
The Ministry of Health informs that “repeated bouts of erysipelas can be avoided through local hygienic care”.
The main tip is to always keep the spaces between the fingers clean and dry, treat the nuns properly and avoid or take good care of the injuries that eventually appear on the skin.
Finally, the Brazilian Society of Dermatology adds that adequate control of diseases that can directly affect the skin or the healing process — such as atopic dermatitis and diabetes — is also essential to prevent erysipelas.
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
