Further, swelling can occur. This is a common symptom. “It’s seen most commonly in the legs but can happen anywhere in the body,” Petelin notes. Fever can be another indication. However, this is not always the case. “People don’t always have fever, but it is relatively common,” Petelin says.

Other symptoms include chills, malaise or a feeling of just plain being sick, tiredness, sore muscles and sweating. Diagnosing the exact cause of cellulitis can be complex. That’s because more than one type of bacteria can create this condition.

“The two most common types of bacteria that cause it are streptococcus and staphylococcus,” Petelin says. “There are two types of staphylococci. One is regular staphylococcus (MSSA) and the other is resistant staphylococcus (MRSA).”

People often wonder if these differing types of bacteria give a different appearance. The answer is yes. And at times, there can be a rather gruesome difference between the two.

“Staph are typically the ones that have pus. In severe cases, they can turn into a deep abscess, which looks like a big red ball under the skin. These are encased with pus that is not draining externally. Abscesses often need to be drained open since antibiotics alone are sometimes not enough to treat, especially if they are deep,” Petelin says. “Strep has the same appearance as staph, but it is the one that has more of a shiny appearance to it and usually does not have boils or pus-like discharge.”

That said, cellulitis can sometimes look like a minor rash. Consequently, you might not know you have it at all.

And you can get it again if you’ve already had it. However, recurrences are most common in high-risk groups.