Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are bacterial infections of the skin, muscles, and connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons. Penn Medicine's SSTI Treatment Clinic provides comprehensive and specialized care, including education, antibiotic treatment and recurrence prevention.
Common Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Common SSTIs include:
- Abscesses
- Cellulitis
- Folliculitis
- MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus)
- Staph infection (Staphylococcus aureus)
MRSA is now the most common cause of community-associated skin and soft tissue infections, and can often occur in healthy individuals. Infections due to MRSA can sometimes be debilitating and very serious, particularly in patients with recurrent infections.
Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Services
Penn offers a unique clinic dedicated specifically to the comprehensive care of patients with recurrent SSTIs that is not offered anywhere else in the Philadelphia region.
Services provided include:
- Counseling and education of family members or other contacts
- Coordination with Penn Dermatology for incision and drainage as needed
- Decolonization of patients as necessary
- Education and counseling on preventive measures
- Management of recurrent SSTIs due to staph infections
- Management of antibiotic therapy for recurrent episodes
- Testing and decolonization of the household as necessary
Make an Appointment
To schedule a consultation with a board-certified infectious disease physician, use our online form, or call 800-789-7366 (PENN) to make an appointment. You do not need a referral and most insurance plans are accepted.
To prepare for your appointment, please have the following information on hand: