Skin Abscess, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends beyond the swelling.Carbuncles and boils are types of abscess that often involve hair follicles, with carbuncles being larger.

They are usually caused by a bacterial infection.Often many different types of bacteria are involved in a single infection.In the United States and many other areas of the world the most common bacteria present is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.Rarely, parasites can cause abscesses; this is more common in the developing world.Diagnosis of a skin abscess is usually made based on what it looks like and is confirmed by cutting it open. Ultrasound imaging may be useful in cases in which the diagnosis is not clear. In abscesses around the anus, computer tomography (CT) may be important to look for deeper infection.