Get to know Staph Infection

The staph infection is contagious if the wound is weeping or draining, and if people share towels or other items that are contaminated.

Injecting drug users, those with skin injuries or disorders, intravenous catheters, surgical incisions, and those with a weakened immune system all have an increased risk of developing Staph infections.

People can get staph infections from contaminated objects, but staph bacteria often spread through skin-to-skin contact - the bacteria can be spread from one area of the body to another if someone touches the infected area. Staph infections in other parts of the body are less common than staph skin infections.

Warm, humid environments can contribute to staph infections, so excessive sweating can increase someone’s chances of developing an infection.

If the staph infection spreads, the person may develop a fever, sometimes with chills and sweats, as well as swelling in the area. These staph infections range from a simple boil to antibiotic-resistant infections to flesh-eating infections.

Staph infection that is not antibiotic resistant can be treated in about a month using antibiotics.

This may seem like a strange article for this website, but the fact is that for the past year I have had a personal experience with a staph infection and I am hoping my experience will help shed some light on this rampantly spreading infection.

Staphylococcus is group of bacteria, familiarly known as Staph , that can cause a multitude of diseases as a result of infection of various tissues of the body.

When the skin is punctured or broken for any reason, staph bacteria can enter the wound and cause an infection.

Health care professionals can determine that staph is the cause of an infection by taking a culture from the infected site.

A Staph infection is medical lingo for an infection caused by staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

It is resistant to numerous antibiotics of the beta-lactam family, including methicillin and penicillin.

Over 30 different types of Staphylococci can infect humans, but most infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

In health-care settings, MRSA is a frequent cause of surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections , and pneumonia.

Toxic shock syndrome is an illness caused by toxins secreted by Staph aureus bacteria growing under conditions in which there is little or no oxygen.

Staph is the shortened name for Staphylococcus , a type of bacteria.

Pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce pain until the infection subsides.

Although MRSA can be harder to treat, in most cases the infection heals with the right treatment.

S.

In infants S. aureus infections can be spread through contact with pus from an infected wound, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person by producing hyaluronidase that destroy tissues, and contact with objects such as towels, sheets, clothing, or athletic equipment used by an infected person.

Introduction of the bacterium into the bloodstream can lead to various complications including, but not limited to, endocarditis, meningitis, and, if it is widespread, sepsis - toxins infecting the entire body.

When the infection is confirmed to be due to a methicillin-susceptible strain of S.

Depending upon the type of infection present, an appropriate specimen is obtained accordingly and sent to the laboratory for definitive identification by using biochemical or enzyme-based tests. Three cases of VRSA infection have been reported in the United States as of 200 In situations where the incidence of MRSA infections is known to be high, the attending physician may choose to use a glycopeptide antibiotic until the identity of the infecting organism is known.

Abbreviated to S.

Actually, about 25% of people normally carry staph in the nose, mouth, genitals, and anal area.

The antibiotic-resistant infections are more common in North America, because of our overuse of antibiotics.

Other preventative measures are careful treatment of all skin conditions, including wound care after trauma or surgery, IV drug users taking precautions when injecting, and people with special risk factors being attentive to early symptoms of staph.