Furunculosis
Basics
Description
- Acute bacterial abscess of a hair follicle (often Staphylococcus aureus)
- System(s) affected: skin/exocrine
- Synonym(s): boils
Epidemiology
Incidence
- Predominant age
- Adolescents and young adults
- Clusters have been reported in teenagers living in crowded quarters, within families, or in high school athletes.
- Predominant sex: male = female
Prevalence
Exact data are not available.
Etiology and Pathophysiology
- Infection spreads away from hair follicle into surrounding dermis.
Genetics
Unknown
Risk Factors
- Carriage of pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus sp. in nares, skin, axilla, and perineum
- Rarely, polymorphonuclear leukocyte defect or hyperimmunoglobulin E–Staphylococcus sp. abscess syndrome
- Diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, alcoholism, obesity, atopic dermatitis
- Primary immunodeficiency disease and AIDS (common variable immunodeficiency, chronic granulomatous disease, Chédiak–Higashi syndrome, C3 deficiency, C3 hypercatabolism, transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy, immunodeficiency with thymoma, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Secondary immunodeficiency (e.g., leukemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, therapeutic immunosuppression)
- Medication impairing neutrophil function (e.g., omeprazole)
- The most important independent predictor of recurrence is a positive family history.
General Prevention
Patient education regarding self-care (see “General Measures”); treatment and prevention are interrelated.
Commonly Associated Conditions
- Usually normal immune system
- Diabetes mellitus
- Polymorphonuclear leukocyte defect (rare)
- Hyperimmunoglobulin E–Staphylococcus sp. abscess syndrome (rare)
- See “Risk Factors.”
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Citation
Domino, Frank J., et al., editors. "Furunculosis." 5-Minute Clinical Consult, 33rd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116235/all/Furunculosis.
Furunculosis. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, et al, eds. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116235/all/Furunculosis. Accessed December 10, 2024.
Furunculosis. (2025). In Domino, F. J., Baldor, R. A., Golding, J., & Stephens, M. B. (Eds.), 5-Minute Clinical Consult (33rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116235/all/Furunculosis
Furunculosis [Internet]. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, Stephens MBM, editors. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2024 December 10]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116235/all/Furunculosis.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Furunculosis
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BT - 5-Minute Clinical Consult, Updating
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