30/07/2025
Bacterial skin infection ?? Fungal infection ? Or is it another problem...
A teenage girl was brought to our clinic by her mother because of a persistent itchy skin rash over her left foot that has been there for two months. Prior to this, treatment was already sought at another health facility and she has already completed a course of antibiotics along with prescription of medicated ointment for presumed bacterial skin infection. Unfortunately, the rash did not improve after treatment but has spread along the edges. Due to the terrible itch, the girl's sleep was disturbed every night and the teenager's mother was quite desperate about her daughter's current condition as the girl is currently staying far away in a boarding school located in another district.
Upon looking at the rash, I inform both the patient and her mother that this is neither a bacterial skin infection nor a fungal skin infection but a hookworm infection. She just have to take oral anti-parasitic medication for a total of five days and none of the antibiotics nor medicated ointment would be necessary for her condition.
After completed her medication, we received updates from our patient that the rash is no longer spreading but is beginning to fade, and the most delightful thing is that there is no more terrible itch at night. Splendid news.. At this point, no more medication is needed for her, and our patient just have to wait for natural skin turnover to take place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jangkitan kulit bakteria?? Ruam kulat? Atau masalah lain...
Seorang gadis remaja dibawa ke klinik oleh ibunya kerana masalah ruam di kaki kirinya yang telah melarat selama dua bulan. Sebelum ini, pesakit kami telahpun mendapatkan rawatan di fasiliti kesihatan lain dan telah menghabiskan ubat antibiotik bersama krim ubat sapuan yang diberi. Malangnya, ruam tidak bertambah baik selepas rawatan tetapi kian merebak. Akibat kegatalan yang sangat teruk, kualiti tidur pun terganggu setiap malam. Oleh itu, ibu gadis agak terdesak supaya boleh mendapatkan rawatan yang berkesan kerana anaknya tinggal berjauhan daripadanya di sebuah sekolah berasrama penuh yang terletak di daerah lain.
Setelah memeriksa ruam, saya memberitahu remaja dan ibunya bahawa ini bukan jangkitan kulit kuman tetapi jangkitan cacing kerawit dalam kulit. Remaja hanya perlu mengambil ubat anti-parasit selama lima hari dan tiada antibiotik mahupun salap ubat yang diperlukan untuk keadaannya.
Selepas menghabiskan ubat yang diberi, kami menerima berita baik daripada pesakit bahawa ruam kulit tidak lagi merebak tetapi kian mengering, yang paling penting ialah tidurnya sudah enak sebab tiada lagi gatal kulit yang mengganggunya pada waktu malam. Syukur.. Selepas ini, gadis remaja hanya perlu menunggu untuk penumbuhan sel kulit baru di bekas ruamnya.
