The bacterial infection of acute lymphangitis occurs in the body's lymphatic system. One symptom is the red painful streaks just under the skin's surface. This infection is potentially serious and is often times fatal when it gets to the bloodstream. Acute lymphangitis occurs as we have stated in the lymphatic system, this system is vital to your body's immune abilities. The body's lymph nodes process various organisms, like viruses or bacteria, to bring on a response from the immune system to combat against infections.

With acute lymphangitis, the bacteria get into your body through insect bites, cuts, skin lesions, or other types of wounds. After the bacteria is in the body it gets into your lymphatic system where the bacteria then multiplies and spreads quickly to other parts of your body, making it difficult for your body to attack it. The vessels of the lymphatic get infected which makes them become red and visible under the skin's surface. If this is not treated, the tissue in the area of the infection can start to break down because of the bacteria. Bacteria being inside your bloodstream could lead to a condition called septicemia, an extremely severe and possibly fatal disease.

Streptococcus pyogenes often brings on acute lymphangitis. This bacterium is potentially dangerous and can also bring on heart infections, sore throats, lung infections and spinal cord infections. All people can come down with lymphangitis, but there are those who have a higher risk like the ones who have to have radical mastectomies, or the ones that get coronary bypass using a leg vein.

The common symptoms that can be noticed externally are the red streaks which happen on the legs or arms. The infected areas get swollen, painful, and irritated. Even blisters can appear on the infected skin. A fever often accompanies this bacterial infection. Headaches, nausea, chills, and muscle pain can also occur.

Lymphangitis is not a casual problem. If you suspect having it, contact your doctor immediately, or head to an emergency room and get your symptoms assessed, and diagnosed to see if it is acute lymphangitis along with getting proper treatment. Once a diagnosis is made it is important to follow up with blood tests, to fully understand how bad the infection is and if the bacteria have gotten into the bloodstream. The tissue that is infected can be biopsied to decide what the root cause for this bacterial infection is.

Due to the severity of this kind of infection, immediate treatment is called for, even prior to the results of the bacterial culture are in. Acute lymphangitis needs antibiotics given in large doses intravenously. One of the effective antibiotics is penicillin in fighting the spread of bacteria, but with streptococci clindamycin can be used when it is in a resting stage.

Complete recovery is possible when antibiotic therapy is given soon enough in the infection. But if this condition is not treated, acute lymphangitis could be deadly. Acute lymphangitis when left alone gets worse and damages tissues. This tissue damage would take plastic surgery to repair.