Some of the most dangerous infections in the world are staph infections. These infections are almost always caused by staph bacteria to people who have been in hospital or health care facilities and recovering from surgery or a treatment. There are also cases where staph infections can be passed from people during skin to skin contact if there are open wounds or sores.
Part of what makes a staph infection so dangerous is that they can spread throughout the body and cause serious life threatening infections. This includes a person’s heart, lungs, joints, blood and heart. The best way to deal with a staph infection is to be fully aware of the potential for getting one and working to avoid that ever being the case.
What is MRSA?
Many people are curious what MRSA actually is. It is a specific type of infection that is a staph bacteria. It stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Staph infections are a very different type of infection because they occur when bacteria outside the body manages to find a way in due to other injuries. This is typical after surgery or other situations where someone is recovering from another serious issue. Staph bacteria is usually on a person’s skin or in their nose and completely harmless. It’s only when it enters through a wound that it becomes such a serious issue. It’s also possible for MRSA to enter the body through medical devices like tubing in catheters.
Symptoms of Staph Infections (MRSA)
When looking for a staph infection, it’s often fairly easy to determine them. The symptoms are pretty simple. When combined with previous issues or wounds, it’s very possible that it’s in fact a staph infection. Some of the main symptoms that need to be looked out for are:
- Swollen Red Bumps - These are the start of a staph infection. They can look like someone has been bitten by a spider or a pimple.
- Abscesses - The area will often become large abscesses quickly as the infection gets worse
- Pus - Staph infection locations will often fill with pus or other liquid and need to be drained. Serious cases can require surgical draining.
- Fever - The fever from a staph infection can escalate very quickly. When combined with red bumps, it’s a dangerous potential sign of staph and should indicate a doctor needs to check things out.
Treatment of MRSA Staph Infections
The biggest problem with MRSA is that it is specifically antibiotic resistant. This can mean that the treatment of these staph infections is more difficult than other infections. Doctors will test for staph through lab tests. Antibiotics will still be the first type of treatment, but as the infection worsens, people will be hospitalized to try to keep them in the best of health to allow the body to fight the infection.
The best step to avoiding staph infections is working to prevent it. Medical facilities work hard to keep sterile conditions. This helps lower the risk of infection or death. From a personal perspective, people can help avoid staph infections by constantly washing their hands. People should also quickly clean themselves after exercise. Personal hygiene items like razors, clothing, towels and athletic wear should never be shared. All wounds should always be properly covered and cleaned.
