Anytime you hear about a staph infection, you probably
feel a little queasy. Staph infections
can be serious, however, with proper precautions they can be treated in a
relatively short amount of time with most cases. As a nurse, you must keep
yourself protected.
Staphylococcus is the true medical name for staph. It is a group of bacteria that can cause a
variety of diseases. Staph infections
can cause disease due to an infection or due to the production of toxins from
the bacteria. Boils, Cellulitis,
Impetigo, and Toxic Shock Syndrome are examples of disease from staph. Symptoms of staph usually include pus, as
from a boil or abscess. The area may be tender, red, and swollen, and
at times very painful.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA is a
form of staph that is particularly resistant to antibiotic treatments and other
drugs that can usually help with staph.
As a general rule, staph infections are treated with oral or intravenous
antibiotics, however, MRSA is often unaffected by the usual treatment, making
it more serious. Staph infections are
contagious, and should be treated with care.
MRSA in particular should be treated with extra caution due to the
serious nature of the condition, and the inability to treat it.
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Approximately 25% of the population has staph that
already lives in the nose, mouth, genitals or anal area. They don’t display symptoms, so they have no
way of knowing that they have staph. The
foot is also at risk of picking up bacteria from floors. It’s always a good idea to wear some type of
slip on shoe in a hotel room, spa, gym, any place that the general public may
walk without shoes. Staph infection of
the skin can begin with a small cut, which then gets infected with
bacteria. The skin will appear a yellow
color and may turn the skin semi hard, and be painful. (I had a personal experience with a staph
infection on my hand many years ago.
Walking my dog with a retractable leash, he pulled the leash cord, and
the cord rubbed across my hand, between my thumb and index finger, sort of a
rug burn. There was very little pain and
it did not appear to break the skin. I
was outdoors, so I did not immediately wash my hands, especially since I saw no
cut/visible opening. Two weeks later I
had a major staph infection on my hand that had turned into gangrene. Apparently the cord on the leash had just the
right contaminants, that it burned them into my skin. The actual cut/opening was so small I could
not see it, however, bacteria are microscopic, and it had no problem taking
over. In this case, had the wound been
bigger, and actually bled, I may have avoided the infection, that sometimes
cleans it out, in this case no such luck.
It took several months to heal my hand back to normal, needless to say
it was a lesson learned) Staph infections can be as simple as a boil, or as
serious as flesh eating infections. What
determines the seriousness of the infection is how deep it goes on the skin,
how fast it multiplies, and if it is resistant to antibiotics.
Cellulitis is a form of staph infection on the skin
that actually goes into the skin's deeper layers. It is treatable with antibiotics, however,
can be painful and look very red and inflamed until properly healed. Cellulitis is very common in the general
population, especially nursing homes, or with people that have diabetes or
weakened immune systems. Cellulitis often affects the legs, and can make
walking painful and difficult. When
pressure is applied to the skin, it can leak fluid/pus, which is how this
infection spreads. Cellulites can start
as an ulcer or small sore on the skin, that later develops into cellulites,
spreading to surrounding areas.
Symptoms include inflammation, redness, warmth and pain. Steph infection needs to be treated right
away to avoid a serious infection that is more difficult to treat.
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It is not uncommon to have staph living in the
nostrils, and in most cases it is a small enough amount that it does not cause
an infection. If the staph multiplies,
an infection can develop, making the nostrils swollen, and sore. Staph living the nostrils of one person can
be transmitted to another, and staph can live outside the body, a surface can
be contaminated with staph. Hand washing
is still the best defense, grocery carts, gas pumps, theatre seats, can all
harbor bacteria that could be transmitted to whomever comes in contact with it.
All of this being said, there is no need to run out and
buy a germ charm to add to your Pandora.
Germs and bacteria are all around us, so it does not pay to be super
paranoid. Live a normal life, just use
some cautions such as-
- Wash hands regularly, especially after being in public, stores, doctors' offices, or gyms. Be sure to wash children's hands and faces after spending time at daycare, staph can spread quickly with children.
- Always wear shoes, slippers or flip flops at gyms, poolside, or hotel rooms.
- Always treat a cut, even if it's minor. You do not have to go overboard with antibiotic ointment, just washing the wound with soap and water, and covering it with a bandage is usually enough to prevent further complications.
- If the nose becomes sore, or swollen, assume it has a minor infection. Avoid touching it without washing hands immediately, as it can spread. Be sure to use appropriate protection for sneezes or when blowing nose.
Always see your healthcare provider if you feel you
have a staph infection. Also be sure to
look for symptoms in your patients. Red streaks, severe discomfort, heat and
swelling are all indications that you should seek medical attention right
away. A throbbing pain to an area on the
skin is very dangerous and could result in loss of limb if left untreated. As with any medical condition, caution is
usually all that is needed to keep you safe and protected.
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