Carbuncles are:

A) characterized by small red,irritated spots
B) treated with systemic antibiotics
C) usually caused by the herpes virus
D) relatively painless

Carbuncles are treated with systemic antibiotics because they are typically caused by bacterial infections, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus, not by viruses like herpes. Carbuncles are larger and more severe than single boils, consisting of multiple pus-filled areas that create a connected area of infection under the skin. They are not characterized by small red, irritated spots, nor are they relatively painless; in fact, they can be quite painful.