Criteria 1: purulent drainage, pustules, vesicles or boils
Criteria 2 - both of the following:
(1) at least 2 of the following at affected site:
(1a) localized pain or tenderness
(1b) swelling
(1c) redness
(1d) heat
(2) at least one of the following:
(2a) organism isolated from culture of aspirate or drainage from affected site; if organism is normal skin flora, it must be a pure isolate of a single organism
(2b) organism isolated from blood culture
(2c) positive antigen test on infected tissue or blood
(2d) multinucleated giant cells seen on microscopic examination of affected tissue
(2e) diagnostic IgM antibody titer on serum for pathogen
(2f) fourfold increase in IgG antibody titer in paired serum samples for pathogen
Limitations:
• Vesicles can be seen in noninfectious conditions.
