What causes cellulitis

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I was very curious about the causes of cellulitis, since in my case I am fairly in good health with no major problems such as diabetes, no skin problems of any kind, no blood pressure problems, etc. I have a normal pulse rate and no significant health issues of any kind. I do a lot of physical work every day and do NOT lead a sedentary life style such as sitting at a desk all day. My diet is primarily vegetarian and I consume chicken or fish once in a while; I eat a lot of fruits and generally maintain a very cheerful attitude on life itself with a great sense of humor as complimented by my friends and associates.

I started reading a lot about the causes of cellulitis and found that when bacteria enter the skin through a cut or other breaks in the skin, it could cause an infection that is the leading cause of cellulitis. These are usually streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria. People with significant skin problems and those with very weak immune systems such as folks with diabetes, HIV infections and people with poor circulation problems are more prone to repeated occurances of cellulitis infections. If the infection gets deeper and deeper, necrotizing fasciitis, commonly called flesh eating bacteria can result which is a case of significant concern and must be immediately treated.
When my doctor was presented with my history, I requested that an x-ray be performed to make sure that there were no foreign bodies such as a metal chip present in my belly button. Because I reasoned that if a tiny metal chip that was lodged in my finger nails and I tried to clean my belly button using bare fingers such as just before a shower then that metal chip that may have carried the strep or staph bacteria, may have caused a slight tear of the sensitive navel skin and the bacteria could have entered thus, potentially with the foreign body lodged in the skin, causing cellulitis infection and hence the discharge. So I wanted to remove the foreign body if it still was inside.

The doctor did perform the x-ray and found no metal chips or any other foreign particles. That was a sign of relief. He also took a culture from the affected area and conclusively proved that it was in fact staph. He did perform an ultra sound test additionally to eliminate any other conditions and the test came in completely satisfactory with no problems of any kind.

In my mind, I concluded that the cause of the cellulitis was bacteria that may have entered the navel through some tiny break in the skin, but no foreign particles were left behind.