Staph infection is an infection caused by the bacteria staphylococcus, a common bacteria located on the nose or skin on most people healthy or not. Usually harmless bacteria with minimal problems. However, Staph infection can result in very severe and possibly fatal disorders when pushed through the outside of a person’s skin, hitting the inside organs and bloodstream of a person.
Causes of Condition
Staph infection has grown in its rate of formation. Staph infection can be caused from a number of things, some things unfortunately unstoppable. Things as small as pillows or bed sheets containing staph can infect people who lie in them.
Things like sports equipment and shared clothes can also form staph if the shared person already has them. Other causes such as a weak immune system and shared medical equipment have been linked in the infection cause.
Is it Contagious?
Staph infection is very contagious, most of people affected gaining it through shared materials such as razors, towels, and other things. The bacteria gains admittance through these acts and can spread throughout the body. More severe conditions can stem from this, like Sepsis Infections.
Sepsis infections can occur once the Staph hits the bloodstream, it can then turn into Septic shock which can cause life threatening low blood pressure. Certain symptoms like boils, rashes, and cellulitis can be key in discovering and treating the infection. Advancements in medicine that were absent in previous decades have been able to recognize and treat the infection that was formerly known to only happen within dirty or unkempt hospitals.
Treatment Options
While Staph infection can be a serious problem, many can rest well in learning of successful treatment options. While preventions like good hygiene, keeping personal objects to yourself, and wound dressing, Staph infection can still be a prevalent and possible infection to a person. The most simple and widely used treatment is the prescribing of antibiotics like cephalosporin or nafcillin, these antibiotics usually stop the infection. However, as the bacteria evolves and adapts to medicines, growing stronger over time, certain antibiotics are useless against the growing bacteria.
The strongest of antibiotics have sometimes been helpless against these evolved bacteria. With a growing medical knowledge and technological advancements however, these bacterium may soon be completely treated and possibly prevented in future cases. Either way if a person is finding symptoms of this infection or wants a routine checkup, they should find council in a trained medical doctor.