Who is at risk for staph infections? The symptoms of a staph infection depend on the type of infection: Skin infections can look like pimples or boils. They may be red, swollen, and painful. Sometimes there is pus or other drainage.
They can turn into impetigo , which turns into a crust on the skin, or cellulitis , a swollen, red area of skin that feels hot. Bone infections can cause pain, swelling, warmth, and redness in the infected area. You may also have chills and a fever. Endocarditis causes some flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, and fatigue. It also causes symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and fluid buildup in your arms or legs.
Food poisoning typically causes nausea and vomiting , diarrhea , and a fever. If you lose too many fluids, you may also become dehydrated.
Pneumonia symptoms include a high fever, chills, and cough that doesn't get better. You may also have chest pain and shortness of breath. Toxic shock syndrome TSS causes high fever, sudden low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, and confusion. You may have a sunburn-like rash somewhere on your body.
TSS can lead to organ failure. How are staph infections diagnosed? What are the treatments for staph infections? Can staph infections be prevented? Certain steps can help to prevent staph infections: Use good hygiene , including washing your hands often Don't share towels, sheets, or clothing with someone who has a staph infection It's best not to share athletic equipment.
If you do need to share, make sure that it properly cleaned and dried before you use it. People who can cough can usually provide a sputum sample easily. Those who are unable to cough or who are on ventilators may need to undergo a respiratory lavage or bronchoscopy to obtain a sputum sample. Respiratory lavage and bronchoscopy involve the use of a bronchoscope, which is a thin tube with a camera attached. Under controlled conditions, the doctor inserts the bronchoscope through the mouth and into your lungs.
The bronchoscope allows the doctor to see the lungs clearly and to collect a sputum sample for testing. To do this, urine is collected in a sterile cup during urination. The cup is then given to the doctor, who sends it to a lab for analysis. Sometimes, urine must be collected directly from the bladder.
To do this, the healthcare provider inserts a sterile tube called a catheter into the bladder. Urine then drains from the bladder into a sterile container. A blood culture requires taking a blood draw and placing the blood on a dish in a laboratory. If bacteria grow on the dish, doctors can more easily identify what bacteria type is causing infection. Results from blood cultures typically take about 48 hours.
A positive test result can indicate the blood infection sepsis. Bacteria can enter the blood from infections located in other parts of your body, such as the lungs , bones , and urinary tract. These infections usually require antibiotics through an IV , sometimes for long periods of time depending on the severity of your infection. If you have a large enough skin infection, your doctor may decide to perform an incision and drainage.
Incision and drainage are typically performed in an office setting under local anesthesia. Your doctor will use a scalpel to cut open the area of infection and drain it completely. You may not need antibiotics if this is performed. Isolation prevents the spread of this type of MRSA infection.
Hospital personnel caring for people with MRSA should follow strict handwashing procedures. To further reduce their risk for MRSA, hospital staff and visitors should wear protective garments and gloves to prevent contact with contaminated surfaces. Linens and contaminated surfaces should always be properly disinfected. While many people have some MRSA bacteria living on their skin, excess exposure can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening infections.
Symptoms and treatments can vary based on the type of MRSA infection a person has. Practicing excellent infection prevention techniques, such as washing hands regularly, refraining from sharing personal items, and keeping wounds covered, clean, and dry can help prevent its spread.
Skin abscesses can also appear in areas of hair growth. How golden staph is spread Infections caused by golden staph Drug-resistant strains of golden staph Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem Infection in hospitals Community-acquired golden staph infection Long-term prevention of golden staph Where to get help Things to remember.
Staphylococcus aureus, or S. It is also called golden staph. In most situations, S. However, if it enters the body through a cut in the skin, it can cause a range of mild to severe infections, which may cause death in some cases.
How golden staph is spread Golden staph is commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Around two to three out of every tenpeople carry the bacterium in their noses.
The armpits axilla , groin and under skin folds are other places golden staph likes to inhabit. Golden staph can be spread by skin-on-skin contact or by touching contaminated surfaces.
Poor personal hygiene and not covering open wounds can lead to infection with golden staph. Thorough hand washing and good housekeeping, such as damp dusting, are important as golden staph is part of our environment. Infections caused by golden staph Common infections caused by golden staph include: boils and abscesses — infections of the skin impetigo school sores — a highly contagious, crusty skin infection that may affect newborn babies and schoolchildren.
More serious infections include: meningitis — infection of the membranes lining the brain osteomyelitis — infection of the bone and bone marrow pneumonia — infection of one or both lungs septic phlebitis — infection of a vein endocarditis — infection of the heart valves. Drug-resistant strains of golden staph A bacterial infection consists of countless individual bacteria. Most infections caused by golden staph are treatable with antibiotics.
However, there is a strong possibility that a few bacteria will survive a course of antibiotics, perhaps due to a gene mutation. The antibiotic-resistant golden staph bacteria that remain then flourish, since they no longer have to compete for resources with the rest of the colony. Resistant strains of golden staph are known as multi-resistant S. Unnecessary or excessive use of antibiotics encourages drug-resistant strains.
The overuse of disinfectants in general can also lead to drug resistance. In most cases, good cleaning or washing with soap and warm water is enough. Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem Before antibiotics, a severe infection was fatal for many people.
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