Impetigo: aetiology, complications and treatment options.

This article describes impetigo, and outlines differential diagnoses, likely complications associated with impetigo and signs and symptoms. Main treatments for impetigo are highlighted, with explanations of when these treatments are useful and when they may not be the best choice. Anxieties that accompany impetigo in a family context and ways in which an appreciation of these anxieties may enhance the care provided are examined.