Lower limb cellulitis and its mimics: part I. Lower limb cellulitis.

An aging population and obesity have both contributed to a rising incidence of lower limb cellulitis; the most important predisposing factors include older age, obesity, venous insufficiency, saphenous venectomy, and edema. Streptococci are the most commonly implicated pathogen, and often reside in the interdigital toes spaces. Any disruption of the skin surface can allow the organism to invade. Effective management requires an appropriate antibiotic and attention to the predisposing factors. This article summarizes the epidemiology and treatment of this common infection.