What is a staph infection?

A Staphylococcus or staph infection is caused by a germ that may be found in 30% of healthy people’s noses. Most of the time, these bacteria do not cause any health problems. However, in some people, it may cause skin and other organ infections. Staph is highly contagious and sometimes may not respond to antibiotics.
How serious is a staph infection?
Most often, staph causes minor skin infections such as a boil. However, if it enters into your bloodstream and other organs, it may turn out to be deadly.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes staph infections, which is unresponsive to standard antibiotics.. A staph infection can be dangerous and must be treated with caution.
Staph infections can affect different organs and lead to the following conditions
- Skin infections including
- Boils: These are painful pus-filled bumps over the buttocks and skin creases.
- Impetigo: These red sores are seen over a child’s nose and mouth and they may crust.
- Cellulitis: This is swollen, red, painful warm skin with deeper tissue infections.
- Staphylococcal-scalded skin syndrome: This is a serious skin condition causing peeling of the skin.
- Pneumonia: This is an infection of the lungs.
- Endocarditis: This is an infection of the inner layer of your heart.
- Osteomyelitis: This is a bone infection and inflammation.
- Septic arthritis: This is swelling of the joints with severe pain and fever.
- Food poisoning: Staph infection is a very common cause of food poisoning. It may lead to nausea, vomiting, dehydration and low blood pressure. The symptoms appear quickly and can be deadly.
- Toxic shock syndrome: This is a deadly condition due to toxins produced by certain bacteria. It may be linked to the usage of tampons, skin wounds and surgery. You may get a high fever, nausea, vomiting, rashes on palms, muscle aches and stomach pain.
- Bacteremia (blood poisoning): If the bacteria enters your bloodstream, it may travel to other organs and lead to sepsis (a life-threatening complication that leads to malfunction of all the organs).
The infection may have serious complications in people with poor immunity such as individuals with diabetes, cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
What causes a staph infection?
Staph bacteria may pass from person to person through any object and it can survive in dry, extreme temperatures and an acidic environment.
Your risk of staph infections may increase if you
- Are sharing personal items such as towels, razors, etc.
- Have uncovered and oozing wounds
- Are playing high-contact sports or living in crowded places
- Have recently stayed at the hospital
- Are addicted to injectable drugs such as opioids
- Have undergone a surgery
- Are exposed to a patient carrying a staph infection
- Have artificial body parts such as a joint, pacemaker, etc.
- Have trauma or a puncture wound
- Have poorly-controlled diabetes
- Are lacking in proper nutrition
- Have too little iron in the body
- Are an alcoholic
- Have intravenous lines (tubes inserted into your body to insert medicine), catheter (to remove urine) or feeding or breathing tubes
- Have kidney disease and are on dialysis (treatment to filter and purify blood using a machine)
- Have a weak immune system due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), chemotherapy or organ transplant
- Have blood disorders such as leukemia (blood cancer) and lymphoma (cancer of lymph glands)
- Are on medications that may weaken your immune system such as steroids and retinoids (vitamin A compounds)
How are staph infections diagnosed?
- Your doctor may examine you, check the body signs and ask about your symptoms.
- To further confirm the infection, your doctor may scrape the skin or the affected part to take a sample or swab the throat or nasal passages or check a stool sample.
- Your doctor may order an imaging test depending on the location of the infection to assess the spread.

SLIDESHOW
Bacterial Infections 101: Types, Symptoms, and Treatments See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
CDC
Infectious Disease Society of America
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Top How Serious Is a Staph Infection Related Articles
Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, Augmentin XR, Augmentin ES-600, Amoclan)
Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (Augmentin Amoclan, Augmentin XR, Augmentin ES-600) is an antibiotic used to treat middle ear infections, sore throat, sinus infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections. Side effects include abdominal discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, gas, headache, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.ampicillin
Ampicillin is an antibiotic used to treat infections caused by H. influenzae, N. gonorrhoea, E. coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococci, and certain strains of staphylococci. Common side effects of ampicillin include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, itching, headache, confusion and dizziness.Bacterial Infections 101
Get more information on bacterial skin infections, which bacteria cause food poisoning, sexually transmitted bacteria, and more. Explore the most common bacterial infections.cefazolin
Cefazolin is a broad spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, including respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, skin infections, biliary tract infections, bone and joint infections, genital infections, and others. Common side effects of cefazolin include injection site reactions, low blood pressure (hypotension), fainting (syncope), abdominal cramps and pain, loss of appetite (anorexia), diarrhea, gas (flatulence), heartburn, oral candida yeast infection (candidiasis), and others.clindamycin
Clindamycin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections including septicemia, pelvic inflammatory disease, abdominal, gynecological, respiratory tract, bone and joint, and skin and skin structure infections. Common side effects of clindamycin include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin reactions, jaundice, abnormal liver function test results, and others. Use clindamycin during pregnancy only if clearly needed. Avoid use when breastfeeding if possible.colistin
Colistin is an antibiotic used to treat acute and chronic bacterial infections from susceptible strains of certain gram-negative bacteria. Colistin is toxic to the kidneys. Discontinue therapy if there are signs of impaired kidney function. Common side effects of colistin include dizziness, numbness and prickling sensation of skin (paresthesia), tingling of extremities and tongue, seizures, slurred speech, vertigo, decreased urine output, and increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and elevated creatinine.ethyl alcohol
Ethyl alcohol intranasal is an antiseptic solution swabbed in the nostrils to kill Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria that colonize the nasal passage. Common side effects of ethyl alcohol intranasal include redness (erythema), irritation, swelling, and pain. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not use ethyl alcohol intranasal in the eyes, on mucous membranes, as nasal spray, or if you have a history of nasal bleeding or irritation.gentamicin
Gentamicin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to prevent and treat many types of bacterial infections, and is typically administered as an injection. Gentamicin is also used to prevent surgical infections, and to treat conditions such as cystic fibrosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infective endocarditis. Common side effects of gentamicin may include reduced urine output, kidney damage, vertigo, dizziness, hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), balance problems (vestibular), impaired coordination, balance and speech (ataxia), gait instability, skin reactions (swelling, rash, itching), and others.Mono (Infectious Mononucleosis)
Infectious mononucleosis is a virus infection in which there is an increase of white blood cells that are mononuclear (with a single nucleus) "Mono" and "kissing disease" are popular terms for this very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).Is a Staph Infection Contagious?
A staph infection is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Staph can cause boils, food poisoning, cellulitis, toxic shock syndrome, MRSA, and various other illnesses and infections. Most staph infections are transmitted from person to person.minocycline
Minocycline is a tetracycline antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus fever, respiratory tract infections, and others. It is also used to treat acne. Do not take if pregnant due to the risk of fetal harm. Do not take if breastfeeding. Common side effects of minocycline include fatigue, dizziness, vertigo, headache, fatigue, drowsiness (somnolence), convulsions, intracranial hypertension, fever, discoloration of secretions, tooth and oral cavity discoloration, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and others.mupirocin
Mupirocin is an antibiotic that is used topically for the treatment of impetigo, MRSA, and staph infections. The nasal spray may be prescribed for individuals that come into contact with patients infected with MRSA, or other infectious diseases. Side effects are uncommon and mild with mupirocin. The most frequent side effects are burning, stinging, pain, and itching at the area of application.silver sulfadiazine
Silver sulfadiazine is a broad spectrum antimicrobial medication topically applied on burn wounds to prevent infection. Common side effects of silver sulfadiazine include rash, itching, pain, burning, skin discoloration, photosensitivity, red, raised lesions (erythema multiforme), skin tissue death (necrosis), Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrosis, exfoliative dermatitis, liver inflammation (hepatitis), and others. Consult your doctor if pregnant or breastfeeding.Skin Infections
Viruses, bacteria, and fungi can all cause skin infections. What is scabies? Learn about golden staph infections, cellulitis, impetigo, fifth disease, leprosy, and more. See photos of infections like chickenpox, athlete’s foot, and candida, a fungal yeast skin infection.Staph (Staphylococcus) Infection
Staphylococcus or staph is a group of bacteria that can cause a multitude of diseases. Staph infections can cause illness directly by infection or indirectly by the toxins they produce. Symptoms and signs of a staph infection include redness, swelling, pain, and drainage of pus. Minor skin infections are treated with an antibiotic ointment, while more serious infections are treated with intravenous antibiotics.Staph Infection Causes
Staph or Staphylococcus is a group of bacteria that is found over the skin of most individuals. Staph bacteria usually live inside the nose, but they do not cause an infection. Staph infections may turn deadly if the bacteria invade deeper into the body, entering the bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs, or heart.What Is a Staph Infection?
Do you know what a staph infection is? What about golden staph? Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of staph infections (Staphylococcus aureus) before they become dangerous Staphylococcus infection complications like endocarditis or toxic shock syndrome.What Happens If a Bartholin Abscess Bursts?
Bartholin abscess is a pocket of pus that builds up over the Bartholin glands in females. If a Bartholin abscess bursts, it may resolve on its own in a few days without treatment. However, it is advisable to visit the doctor to avoid the spread of the infection.