Hospital Virtual Tour

Carbuncle - Symptom

Alternative Names

Skin infection - staphylococcal; Infection - skin - staph; Staph skin infection; Carbunculosis

Symptoms:

A carbuncle is a swollen lump or mass under the skin. It may be the size of a pea or as large as a golf ball. The carbuncle may be red and irritated and might hurt when you touch it.

It may also:

Grow very fast
Have a white or yellow center (pustule)
Weep, ooze, or crust
Spread to other skin areas

Sometimes, other symptoms may occur. These may include:

Fatigue
Fever
General discomfort or sick feeling
Skin itching before the carbuncle develops

Signs and tests:

Your doctor will look at your skin. The diagnosis is primarily based on what the skin looks like. A skin biopsy may be done to help make the diagnosis or determine the exact type of bacteria involved.

Skin layers

Reviewed last on: 4/12/2007
Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Cohen J, Powderly WG. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2004.

Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2004.

Lopez FA. Skin and soft tissue infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am. Dec 2006; 20(4): 759-72, v-vi.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)