Which statement about RTP criteria for impetigo is true?

Which statement about RTP criteria for impetigo is true?

• A. Any suspicious lesion should be cultured before return
• B. No new skin lesions for at least 48 hours
• C. Completion of a 72-hour course of directed antibiotic therapy
• D. No further drainage or exudate from the wound

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is contagiousness and healing status. Impetigo is spread through direct contact with infected lesions and their drainage. The most practical sign that an athlete is no longer actively infectious is that there is no drainage or exudate coming from the wound. When a lesion stops draining, it’s typically drying and crusting, which means the risk of transmitting bacteria is greatly reduced and the wound is on the way to healing. That’s why this criterion best guides a safe return to play. The other statements aren’t as reliable for RTP. Culturing lesions isn’t routinely required just to return to sport. Requiring no new lesions for a fixed period isn’t a standard return-to-play rule for impetigo, and insisting on completing a full 72-hour antibiotic course before returning isn’t necessary if the wound has ceased draining and the athlete is improving under appropriate treatment. In short, absence of drainage directly reflects both healing and reduced contagion, making it the most appropriate criterion.

The key idea here is contagiousness and healing status. Impetigo is spread through direct contact with infected lesions and their drainage. The most practical sign that an athlete is no longer actively infectious is that there is no drainage or exudate coming from the wound. When a lesion stops draining, it’s typically drying and crusting, which means the risk of transmitting bacteria is greatly reduced and the wound is on the way to healing. That’s why this criterion best guides a safe return to play.

The other statements aren’t as reliable for RTP. Culturing lesions isn’t routinely required just to return to sport. Requiring no new lesions for a fixed period isn’t a standard return-to-play rule for impetigo, and insisting on completing a full 72-hour antibiotic course before returning isn’t necessary if the wound has ceased draining and the athlete is improving under appropriate treatment. In short, absence of drainage directly reflects both healing and reduced contagion, making it the most appropriate criterion.