Abstract

Cellulitis is a common medical emergency. Investigations often fail to establish the specific microbial aetiology and there are few data to support common choices of antibiotic therapy used to treat cellulitis. Potentially unusual pathogens can be predicted from the epidemiological circumstances at presentation, while empirical treatment choices must be based on an understanding of the underlying pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles that govern antibiotic-microbe interactions. Animal models have established conditions that predict treatment success, taking into account confounding factors such as bacterial inoculum size. Synergistic combinations of antibiotics can improve outcome in difficult cases.

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