Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
No vaccine is available against Staphylococcus aureus. Since the bacteria are so widespread and cause so many different diseases, prevention of Staph infections requires attention to the risk factors that may increase the likelihood of getting a particular type of Staph infection. For example, it is possible for menstruating women reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome by frequently changing tampons (at least every
four to eight hours), using low-absorbency tampons, and alternating sanitary pad and tampon use. Careful attention to food-handling and food-preparation practices can decrease the risk of staphylococcal food poisoning. Prevention of Staph infections can be aided by proper hygiene when caring for skin wounds. Careful hand washing, avoiding close skin contact with possible infected individuals, and proper hygienic care of skin scrapes, cuts, and wounds can all reduce the likelihood of skin infections due to Staph, including community-acquired MRSA.
What is the prognosis for Staph infections?
The prognosis or outcome of Staph infections depends upon the type of infection that is present as well as other factors such as the extent to which the infection has spread and the underlying medical condition of the patient. Skin infections and superficial infections, in general, are readily cured with antibiotics. In rare cases, these infections may spread and cause complications, including sepsis (spread of infection to the bloodstream). It is important to remember that even after taking antibiotics for a Staph infection you can still develop a repeat infection.
Widespread infections such as sepsis have a more guarded prognosis; mortality (death) rates range from 20%-40% in cases of
Staph aureus infection of the bloodstream. Before antibiotics were available, about 80% of people with
Staph aureus sepsis died from complications of the condition. People with suppressed immune systems (those taking immune suppressing medications or with immune deficiencies) are at increased risk for developing more serious infections.
Staphylococcal food poisoning typically resolves on its own without long-term complications.
Staphylococcus is group of bacteria that can cause a multitude of diseases.
Staph infections may cause disease due to direct infection or due to the production of toxins by the bacteria.
Boils, impetigo, food poisoning, cellulitis, and toxic shock syndrome are all examples of diseases that may be caused by
Staphylococcus.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA, is a type of
Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin and other drugs in this class.
Staph infections are treated with topical, oral, or intravenous antibiotics, depending upon the type of infection.
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Community-Associated
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA)." Mar. 3, 2010. <http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca.html>.
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Healthcare-Associated Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus Aureus (HA-MRSA)." Mar. 3, 2010. <http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa.html>.
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Infections." Apr. 15, 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/>.
Staph Infection (Staphylococcus Aureus) - Length Symptoms LastedQuestion: How long did the symptoms of your staph infection (staphylococcus aureus) last?
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Pneumonia is inflammation of one or both lungs with consolidation. Pneumonia is frequently but not always due to infection. The infection may be bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough with sputum production, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
A boil is a skin abscess, a collection of
pus localized deep in the skin. There are several different types of boils. Among them are the following: furuncle or
carbuncle, Cystic acne, Hidradenitis suppurativa, and Pilonidal cyst.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria causes skin infections with the following signs and symptoms: cellulitis, abscesses, carbuncles, impetigo, styes, and boils. Normal skin tissue doesn't usually allow MRSA infection to develop. Individuals with depressed immune systems and people with cuts, abrasions, or chronic skin disease are more susceptible to MRSA infection.
A sty (sometimes spelled stye) is a tender, painful red bump located at the base of an eyelash or on, inside, or under the eyelid, which is the result of an acute infection of the oil glands of the eyelid. Complications of a sty can be blepharitis and chalazion.
Cellulitis is an acute spreading bacterial infection below the surface of the skin characterized by redness, warmth, inflammation, and pain. The most common cause of cellulitis is the bacteria Staph (Staphylococcus aureus).
Ingrown hairs may be caused by improper shaving, waxing or blockage of the hair follicle. Symptoms and signs of ingrown hairs include itching, tenderness, and small red pus bumps. Ingrown hairs usually heal on their own, but topical antibiotics, chemical depilatories, and hair-removal laser may be used in the treatment of ingrown hairs.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Impetigo is a contagious skin infection caused by staph and strep bacteria. There are two types of impetigo: non-bullous and bullous. Symptoms of non-bullous impetigo include small blisters on the nose, face, arms, or legs and possibly swollen glands. Bullous impetigo symptoms include blisters in various areas, particularly in the buttocks area. Treatment involves gentle cleansing, removing the crusts of popped blisters, and the application of prescription-strength mupirocin antibiotic ointment.
Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a potentially deadly infection with signs and symptoms that include elevated heart rate, low or high temperature, rapid breathing and/or a white blood cell count that is too high or too low and has more than 10% band cells. Most cases of sepsis are caused by bacterial infections, and some cases are caused by fungal infections. Treatment requires hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and therapy to treat any organ dysfunction.
Food poisoning is common, but can also be life threatening. The most common form of food poisoning is caused by bacteria and include symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Neutropenia is a marked decrease in the number of neutrophils, neutrophils being a type of white blood cell (specifically a form of granulocyte) filled with neutrally-staning granules, tiny sacs of enzymes that help the cell to kill and digest microorganisms it has engulfed by phagocytosis.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection is the most common type of infection acquired by patients while hospitalized. Patients at risk for VRE are those who are already ill, and hospitalized, including individuals with diabetes, elderly, ICU patients, kidney failure patients, or patients requiring catheters. Enterococci can survive for months in the digestive tract and female genital tract. Other risk factors for acquiring VRE include those how have been previously treated with vancomycin and combinations of other antibiotics. Treatment of VRE is generally with other antibiotics other than vancomycin. Prevention of VRE can be achieved by proper hand hygiene.
Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. Potential causes include injections around the bone, fractures that puncture the skin, recent surgeries, and bacterial infections that travel from other areas of the body, spreading through the blood to the bone. Symptoms include pain, fever, chills, stiffness, and nausea. Treatment involves antibiotics and pain medications. Surgery is sometimes necessary.
There are millions of dogs living in the United States, and thus many cases of dog bites. Annually, hundreds of people seek emergency medical care for dog bites. Treatment for a dog bite depends on how deep the injury is and the amount of tissue damage. Dog bites can be prevented by employing preventative measures.
Cuts, scrapes, and puncture wounds are common, and most people will experience one of these in their lifetime. Evaluating the injury, and thoroughly cleaning the injury is important. Some injuries should be evaluated by a doctor, and a tetanus shot may be necessary. Treatment will depend upon the severity of the injury.
The majority of spiders in the United States are harmless. Two exceptions include the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Symptoms of a harmless spider bite generally involve redness, irritation, and pain. alized symptoms of bites from black widow and brown recluse spiders may include: nausea and vomiting, fever, headache, abdominal pain, joint pain, and more. In general, a brown recluse spider bite or black widow spider bite may require medical attention. The information includes pictures of the brown recluse and black widow spiders for identification.
Gangrene may result when blood flow to a tissue is lost or not adequate to keep the tissue alive. There are two types of gangrene: wet and dry. All cases of wet gangrene are infected by bacteria. Most cases of dry gangrene are not infected. If wet gangrene goes untreated, the patient may die of sepsis and die within hours or days. Dry gangrene usually doesn't cause the patient to die. Symptoms of dry gangrene include numbness, discoloration, and mummification of the affected tissue. Wet gangrene symptoms include swelling, pain, pus, bad smell, and black appearance of the affected tissue. Treatment depends upon the type of gangrene and how much tissue is compromised by the gangrene.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a condition caused by toxins formed by Staphylococcus aureus or group A Streptococcus bacteria. Signs and symptoms include fever, low blood pressure, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Left untreated, the patient will experience confusion, dizziness, headaches, seizures, and multiorgan failure. Treatment involves intravenous fluids and antibiotics, oxygen administration, surgery to drain the source of infection, and removal of tampons, nasal packings, or other sources of infection.
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids. Acne rosacea, Staphylococcal bacteria, allergies, sensitivities to makeup or contact lens solutions, head lice, or other conditions may cause blepharitis. Symptoms and signs include itchy eyelids, burning sensation in the eyes, crusting of the eyelids, light sensitivity, red, swollen eyelids, loss of eyelashes, and dandruff of the lashes and eyebrows. Proper eyelid hygiene and a regular cleaning routine controls blepharitis.
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