The growth of managed care in the U.S. was spurred by the enactment of the Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973. While managed care techniques were pioneered by health maintenance organizations, they are now used by a variety of private health benefit programs.
1 Cellulitis is a spreading bacterial infection of the skin and tissues beneath the skin. 2  Staphylococcus and Streptococcus are the types of bacteria that are usually responsible for cellulitis, although many types of bacteria can cause the condition. Sometimes cellulitis appears in areas where the skin has broken open, such as the skin near ulcers or surgical wounds. 2  Symptoms and signs include redness, tenderness, swelling, and warmth of the affected area. 3  Cellulitis is not contagious.
The skin is usually very warm to the touch. Overview. Cellulitis is an infection of the skin and is most often caused by the bacteria Streptococcus or Staphylococcus. These bacteria are able to enter the skin through small cracks (fissures), causing the sudden appearance of redness, swelling, and warmth in the skin. Cellulitis is sometimes accompanied by fever, chills, and general fatigue. If the infection is left untreated for too long, cellulitis can result in pockets of pus (abscesses) or the spread of bacteria into the bloodstream (bacteremia). However, most cases of cellulitis resolve with appropriate antibiotic therapy.