ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND CLASSIFICATION Skin and skin structures are among the most frequent sites of human bacterial infection and account for ~10% of hospital admissions in the United States.1
The terminology used for infections of skin and skin structures is often confusing. “Primary” skin infections occur in otherwise normal skin and are usually caused by group A streptococci or Staphylococcus aureus. Infections are called “secondary” when they complicate chronic skin conditions (e.g., eczema or atopic dermatitis).
