Cellulitis involves the dermal and subcutaneous layers of skin and usually presents with erythema, warmth, tenderness and induration (hardness or firmness of the soft tissue). Cellulitis most often develops after a breech in the skin integrity leading to a traumatic introduction of bacteria into the skin. Rarely, cellulitis could develop from direct extension (e.g. osteomyelitis) or from hematogenous seeding, with the latter more common in neonates or severely immunocompromised patients.
