Buccal cellulitis is an innocuous appearing disease of the cheek that is found in children and has a high incidence of concomitant bacteremia. Generally, the child is younger than 12 months and has a 2 to 8 hour prodrome of coryza and fever before developing the cellulitis on the cheek. A purplish hue on the cellulitic region is mainly suggestive of Hemophilus influenzae bacteremia. A complete blood count, blood culture, and cellulitis aspirate culture, should be obtained on all patients with BC. Meningitis might be present despite the lack of meningeal signs. A lumbar puncture must be performed on all children at risk for bacteremic BC. The vast majorities of these children are bacteremic and need parenteral antibiotics.

More about the buccal cellulitis

Erysipelas is also a superficial form of cellulitis. Infants are generally susceptible to buccal cellulitis, an infection of the skin on the cheek. The infection is featured by skin discoloration and swelling and is more often misdiagnosed as a bruise. It is caused due to any of the substance that may cause injury to the buccal mucosa, such as popsicles and ice cubes, and prolonged exposure of infants to low temperature. Other infections that are generally mistaken as buccal cellulitis include erysipelas, severe impetigo, and insect bites. Orbital cellulitis is a rare one and an acute infection of the eye socket. It affects mainly children, and the onset is rapid and severe. Bacteria enter the orbit of the eye, frequently from an infection in the sinuses, a boil on the eye or eyelid, or a foreign object.

Symptoms of Buccal cellulitis

In cellulitis, the skin becomes red and swollen and is both warm and painful to the touch at and is sometimes accompanied by fever, malaise, chills, and headache. If antibiotics are not given, the condition might progress to abscesses and tissue damage. Erysipelas is a superficial form of cellulitis featured by redness, swelling, vesicles, fever, and pain. It is caused by a species of streptococci, which generally starts with a headache, fever, and general distress, followed by small, red patches that spread and swell so that the border may be easy to see and feel.