Staphing Issues

Staphylococcus. What you should know as a human being. What you should know as a patient. What you should know as a frequent patient of the ER and other medical facilities.

There is a stigma associated with any communicable skin disease. When I thought of staph, my face made an expression similar to the one I made when I heard the word ringworm. I thought it was a yucky, unhygienic problem. You don't have to be dirty or a bad hand washer to get staph. All you need to do is be around any surface that can't be cleaned with bleach or hasn't been cleaned with bleach since staph has gotten on it. Which pretty much accounts for everything. Hospitals try their best to keep it at bay, but this is likely where you will get it.

Facts about Staph

• It has about 40 different strains.
• Up to 60% of people have it in their nose all the time without symptoms. This area is called nosocomial.
• 20% of the population are long-term carriers of the bacteria.
• If you are alive, you are prone to getting it and giving it to others.
• It can be deadly if it becomes septic. Once septic, your chances of survival is about 20%.
• Toxic Shock Syndrome is a form of septic staph.
• There are two classifications according to medical professionals- community acquired and hospital acquired. Governmental health organizations like to keep track of the statistics of both so they can combat the spread of staph.
• Staph that is not responsive to antibiotics is called MRSA.
• It can manifest itself on the skin, inside the organs, bones and even as food poisoning.
• It can grow in food, especially food stored improperly.
• Abdominal surgeries have a higher risk of post-surgical staph infection.
• It can make its way into your body via breathing it in or getting in from the skin.
• Our skin normally protects against it but when barriers of the skin are broken, staph can creep its way in and multiply quickly.
• Anyone with a skin disorder, diabetes or other immune disorders are more prone to getting it. Dermatitis, severe acne, folliculitis (infections of the follicles around the hair), dark and warm places on the skin, especially where hair grows is prone to opening up an area to receive the bacteria. Those with eczema are also in this category.
• Staph can take over the body and large areas of skin can look sunburned. The skin matrix that holds each cell together is attacked and damaged and large parts of the skin can slough off, opening the person up to more infectious problems and dehydration. Think of a severe burn and how the damaged skin can make a patient sick for a long time because of exposure.

Things to look for:

• Be aware that any boil or abscess, pimple or bump could be a manifestation of staph. Furuncles and carbuncles are commonly what staphylococcus aureas will look like. It could also appear as a small ulceration of the skin.
• It can look like an ingrown hair, mosquito bite, poison ivy, spider bite and be itchy.
• Redness, swelling and heat over a joint or any large area of the body (particularly the abdomen) should be examined because internal staph or MRSA can have these symptoms. Particularly if you have an infected looking spot on the skin or an injury in that area.
• Skin staph can ooze a yellow or white discharge that can turn crusty.
• Pretty much anything that looks angry and red and/or hot to the touch should be looked at.
• If you are running a fever, high or low blood pressure, nausea/vomiting. Any of these signs could indicate sepsis infection and you should go to the ER as soon as possible, especially if you have recently had a surgery.
• Any sunburn looking rash accompanied by any of the above symptoms, even no skin eruptions, should be looked at if you have not been in the sun that day.

Treatment

Don't be scared to get it checked out. I was in denial about having staph that I acquired from a surgery. Luckily I caught it early and a simple round of antibiotics and topical cream was all that was needed to get it under control. Even if you don't have medical insurance don't hesitate because it could mean your life. Many people each year allow a reddened area or bump turn into something that is not medically manageable. Take care of yourself by observing unusual changes in your skin and you could prevent a lot of yucky things.

Create Awareness by commenting and sharing your own stories on this subject.
For more pictures of staphyloccocus, click here and here.

Take care!
Shara
AutoCommunity Creator