Staphylococcal Infections

What are Staphylococcal (staph) infections?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

Staphylococcus (staph) is a group of bacteria. There are more than 30 types. A type called Staphylococcus aureus causes most infections.

Staph bacteria can cause many different types of infections, including:

• Skin infections, which are the most common types of staph infections.
• Bacteremia, an infection of the bloodstream. This can lead to sepsis, a very serious immune response to infection.
• Bone infections.
• Endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.
• Food poisoning.
• Pneumonia.
• Toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a life-threatening condition caused by toxins from certain types of bacteria.

What causes staph infections?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

Some people carry staph bacteria on their skin or in their noses, but they do not get an infection. But if they get a cut or wound, the bacteria can enter the body and cause an infection.

Staph bacteria can spread from person to person. They can also spread on objects, such as towels, clothing, door handles, athletic equipment, and remotes. If you have staph and do not handle food properly when you are preparing it, you can also spread staph to others.

Who is more likely to get a staph infection?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

Anyone can develop a staph infection, but certain people are more likely to get one, including those who:

• Have a chronic condition such as diabetes, cancer, vascular disease, eczema, and lung disease
• Have a weakened immune system, such as from HIV, medicines to prevent organ rejection, or chemotherapy
• Had surgery
• Are in the hospital
• Use a catheter, breathing tube, or feeding tube
• Have an implanted device, such as a pacemaker or artificial joint or heart valve
• Have burns, especially if they are deep or cover a large area of the body
• Are on dialysis
• Inject illegal drugs
• Do contact sports, since you may have skin-to-skin contact with others or share equipment

What are the symptoms of staph infections?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

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 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?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

Your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. Often, providers can tell if you have a staph skin infection by looking at it. To check for other types of staph infections, providers may do a culture, with a skin scraping, tissue sample, stool sample, or throat or nasal swabs. There may be other tests, such as imaging tests, depending on the type of infection.

What are the treatments for staph infections?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

Treatment for staph infections is antibiotics. Depending on the type of infection, the antibiotics might be a cream, ointment, medicines (to swallow), or intravenous (IV) medicine. If you have an infected wound, your provider might drain it. Sometimes you may need surgery for bone infections.

Some staph infections, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), are resistant to many antibiotics. There are still certain antibiotics that can treat these infections.

Can staph infections be prevented?

From: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

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 is properly cleaned and dried before you use it.
• Practice food safety, including not preparing food for others when you have a staph infection.
• If you have a cut or wound, keep it covered.

Which doctor should you see?

The suggested department for discussing Staphylococcal Infections is Infectious Diseases, with a general physician / infectious disease specialist as the relevant type of clinician. General physician / Family Medicine; paediatrician for children. Referral depends on symptoms.

This is an editorial referral starting point. The appropriate clinic depends on the person’s age, symptoms, previous diagnosis and local services. The first clinician can decide whether another specialty or a team is needed; a department label does not confirm the diagnosis.

How to prepare for an assessment

Bring a short timeline of the main symptoms: when they first appeared, whether they are constant or episodic, what seems to change them, and how they affect daily activities. Include previous reports, discharge summaries, current medicines and supplements, allergies, and any relevant family history. A dated record is more useful than trying to match every feature in an online article.

Ask the clinician what is already established and what remains uncertain. If a test is suggested, ask what question it answers, what its limitations are and how the result would change the next step. The information here is not an instruction to arrange every possible test. In children, bring growth, developmental and school information if it is relevant to the concern.

• Which exposure or organism is suspected, and what evidence would confirm it?
• Are precautions, vaccination or advice for close contacts relevant to this infection?
• What should happen if symptoms worsen or do not improve as expected?

Treatment discussions and follow-up

Where the source describes treatments, these are an overview of possible care, not a prescription for an individual. Ask which option applies to the confirmed diagnosis, what benefit is expected, what adverse effects to watch for and how progress will be assessed. Availability, approvals and local practice can differ from the country described in the source.

Before leaving the appointment, clarify the next review date, who will communicate results, and whom to contact if the situation changes. Discuss difficulties with sleep, work, school, mobility, eating or emotional wellbeing when these are relevant. Practical support may require coordination between the treating clinician and other services.

When to seek emergency help

Severe breathing difficulty, collapse, new stroke-like symptoms, a seizure that is prolonged or repeated without recovery, uncontrolled major bleeding, or an immediate risk of self-harm require emergency help. In India, call 112 or reach the nearest emergency department. This is a general, non-exhaustive warning list; it is not a condition-specific triage tool.