Furuncle

boil

 or furuncle or furunculosis

Inflamed pus-filled swelling due to staphylococcus skin infection at a hair follicle. It is painful and feels hard. Boils usually occur in hairy areas exposed to friction and maceration. Scratching an existing skin disorder may introduce staphylococci on the skin into hair follicles and cause a boil to arise. A carbuncle occurs when several adjoining boils merge. Healing requires discharging the pus. Treatment involves antibiotics.

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furuncle [′fyu̇r‚əŋ·kəl]

(medicine)

A small cutaneous abscess, usually resulting from infection of a hair follicle byStaphylococcus aureus. Also known as boil.

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Furuncle 

an acute purulent necrotic inflammation of a hair follicle and surrounding tissue caused by pyogenic bacteria, chiefly Staphylococcus aureus.

The occurrence of furuncles is promoted by contamination and microtraumas of the skin, increased perspiration and fatty secretion, and metabolic disorders. Characteristic is a painful inflamed nodule with a central slough, or core. After the necrotic tissue is sloughed off, the skin heals and forms a scar. Furuncles usually appear on the neck, back, face, or back of the head. The presence of multiple furuncles is called furunculosis. Purulent necrotic inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue around a group of hair follicles and sebaceous glands is called a carbuncle. Severe complications (purulent meningitis, sepsis) may result from a furuncle on the face.

Treatment includes applying an antiseptic to the skin and, sometimes, administering an antibiotic orally or intramuscularly. Prevention consists of proper personal hygiene, prevention of microtraumas of the skin, and prompt treatment of injured skin.

REFERENCE

Raben, A. S. Furunkuly i furunkulez, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1962.

A. S. RABEN