US Medical Term · conditions
Cellulitis
Celulitis infecciosa
What it means
Cellulitis is a common skin infection caused by bacteria. It affects the middle layer of the skin (dermis) and the tissues below, and sometimes the muscle below the skin. Staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria are the most common causes: normal skin has many types of bacteria living on it, and when there is a break in the skin, these bacteria can cause a skin infection. Symptoms include pain or tenderness in the affected area, skin redness or inflammation that gets bigger as the infection spreads, warm skin in the area of redness, and fever with chills and sweating. Treatment is with antibiotics. MedlinePlus says to contact your provider right away if you have symptoms of cellulitis.
Cellulitis in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Celulitis infecciosa
- Gender and article
- feminine: la celulitis infecciosa
- Pronunciation
- seh-loo-LEE-tees een-fehk-SYOH-sah
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| celulitis | General | The name MedlinePlus en español uses, without a qualifier, in its topic page and its encyclopedia article. |
MedlinePlus en español does not use the headword celulitis infecciosa in its own text: its topic page and its encyclopedia article are both titled Celulitis, and the longer form appears on the topic page only in the title of a linked article from another organization. The noun is feminine: la celulitis. The Spanish dictionary gives celulitis two senses. The first is a build-up of fat under the skin that gives it a roughness like orange peel; the one marked as medical is inflammation of the subcutaneous connective tissue.
MedlinePlus en español describes the condition as una infección de la piel y los tejidos más profundos. Words from its pages: estafilococo and estreptococo for the bacteria, enrojecimiento (redness), hinchazón (swelling), piel caliente (warm skin), fiebre con escalofríos (fever with chills) and antibióticos orales (oral antibiotics). The encyclopedia article names the affected layer la capa intermedia de la piel (dermis).
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | My leg is red, swollen and warm, and it hurts when I touch it. | Tengo la pierna roja, hinchada y caliente, y me duele cuando la toco. |
| Clinician | When did the redness start? Has it gotten bigger? | ¿Cuándo empezó el enrojecimiento? ¿Se ha hecho más grande? |
| Patient | It started yesterday, and today it covers more of my leg. | Empezó ayer, y hoy cubre una parte más grande de la pierna. |
| Clinician | Have you had fever or chills? | ¿Ha tenido fiebre o escalofríos? |
| Clinician | Did you have a cut, a bite or a wound in that area? | ¿Tuvo un corte, una picadura o una herida en esa zona? |
| Clinician | This looks like cellulitis, a skin infection caused by bacteria. | Esto parece celulitis, una infección de la piel causada por bacterias. |
| Clinician | I am going to mark the edge of the redness with a pen to see if it spreads. | Voy a marcar el borde del enrojecimiento con un bolígrafo para ver si se extiende. |
| Patient | I have diabetes, and I have cracks in the skin between my toes. | Tengo diabetes, y tengo grietas en la piel entre los dedos de los pies. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Cellulitis |
| Spanish (Español) | Celulitis infecciosa |
| Chinese (中文) | 蜂窩組織炎 |
| Korean (한국어) | 봉와직염 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Viêm mô tế bào |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Cellulitis |
| Portuguese (Português) | Celulite infecciosa |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | เนื้อเยื่ออักเสบ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 蜂窩織炎 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: L03 → Cellulitis and acute lymphangitisRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Skin, hair and nails
All terms in this area: Skin, hair and nails — Piel, cabello y uñas
Sources
- Cellulitis — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Celulitis — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Cellulitis — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, National Library of Medicine
- Celulitis — MedlinePlus enciclopedia médica, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- celulitis — Diccionario de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / ASALE
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026