Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacteria that cause a wide variety of clinical diseases. Infections caused by this pathogen are common both in community-acquired and hospital-acquired settings. The treatment remains challenging due to the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Staphylococcus aureus, although generally identified as a commensal, is also a common cause of human bacterial infections, including of the skin and other soft tissues, bones, bloodstream, and respiratory tract.
Staph aureus does not normally cause infection on healthy skin, however, if it is allowed to enter the internal tissues or bloodstream, these bacteria may cause a variety of potentially serious infections. Transmission is typically from direct contact. However, some infections involve other transmission methods.
What causes staphylococcal infection?
Despite being harmless in most individuals, S aureus is capable of causing various infections of the skin and other organs. S aureus infection is common in people with frequent skin injury, particularly if the skin is dry. Staph skin infections are seen most commonly in pre-pubertal children and certain occupational groups such as healthcare workers. But they may occur for no obvious reason in otherwise healthy individuals.
Most staphylococcal infections occur in normal individuals, but underlying illness and certain skin diseases increase the risk of infection. These include:
Severe atopic dermatitis
Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
Kidney failure, especially those on dialysis
Blood disorders such as leukemia and lymphoma
Malnutrition
Iron deficiency
Alcoholism
Intravenous drug users
Presence of foreign body eg, prosthetic joint, pacemaker, indwelling catheter, hemodialysis, recent surgical procedure
Medication with systemic steroids, retinoids, cytotoxic or immunosuppressive
Immunoglobulin M deficiency
Chronic granulomatous disease
Higashi syndrome
Job and Aldrich syndromes (associations of severe staphylococcal infection with eczema, raised immunoglobulin E, and abnormal white cell function).
A staph infection can spread to the blood, bones, joints, and organs in the body, including the heart and brain. Staph infection can cause:
Endocarditis (an infection of the lining of the heart)
Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
Pneumonia (lung infection)
Sepsis (life-threatening body infection)
Septic arthritis (infectious arthritis)
Skin diseases caused by staphylococcal infections
Staphylococcal skin infection can present in a variety of ways:
Hair follicle infections including staphylococcal folliculitis, boils (furuncles and carbuncles), abscess and sycosis (beard infection)
Impetigo (school sores)
Ecthyma (crusted ulcers)
Cellulitis (more often due to streptococcus)
Secondary skin infection of wounds, dermatitis, scabies, diabetic ulcers etc.
Mastitis (inflammation of the breast) and abscess of the breast; the bacteria may pass from a breast abscess into milk
Staphylococcal hypersensitivity reactions such as folliculitis (a cause of scarring hair loss).
Treatment and management of staphylococcus infections
Treatment of S. aureus infections depends largely on the type of infection as well as the presence or absence of drug resistant strains. When antimicrobial therapy is needed, the duration and mode of therapy are largely dependent on the infection type as well as other factors.
Risk Factors for Staph Infections
Staph bacteria live naturally in your body and rarely cause complications. However, certain factors and behaviors allow the bacteria into the body to cause infection. Some of these factors include:
Health Conditions
Certain health conditions can increase the risk of developing a staph infection, as well as the methods that treat them. Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, dialysis for kidney failure, lung disorders, respiratory illnesses, autoimmune disorders and cancer that require chemotherapy are all risk factors that increase the risk of staph infection. People with open wounds such as burns, cuts, stitches and incisions are also at risk if you don’t clean or appropriately treat them.
Hospitalization
You can find staph bacteria in hospitals, putting you as a current or recent patient at threat for infection, especially if you have a weak immune system, burns or surgical wounds. Even if you are not a patient, spending time in hospitals where the bacteria can spread from one patient to another is a risk factor.
Contaminated Food
Although it looks and tastes normal, food with toxins from staph bacteria causes food poisoning. If you don’t store food correctly, it can become a breeding ground for staph bacteria. And if food handlers don’t wash their hands properly, it can transfer from their skin to the food.
Invasive Devices
If someone has an artificial device or joint in their bodies, staph bacteria can form around them and penetrate the bloodstream through surgical incisions. Devices like dialysis tubes, catheters, feeding and breathing tubes can allow bacteria into the body.
Prolonged Tampon Use
Failing to change your tampons regularly could cause toxic shock syndrome (TSS). If left in too long, the tampon can harbor staph bacteria. It gets into your bloodstream because of vaginal irritation from the tampons.
Stopping the Spread of Staphylococcus infection
To prevent the spread of staph bacteria, you should:
Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Bathe or shower once a day; if you’re an athlete, shower immediately after every game and practice.
Keep all skin injuries clean and bandaged until they are healed. Don’t share any personal items, including towels and sports equipment.
Staph infections can quickly become dangerous. Seek medical attention as soon as possible and follow all of your doctor’s directions to the letter.
Take a bath or shower often, be sure to use soap to clean your body while showering or bathing. Do not share towels, wash cloths, razors, or other personal items.
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