Staphylococcus is a group of bacteria consisting of various species. The bacteria cause a wide range of disease ranging from mild to fatal. The over 30 types of Staph affect the skin, including mucosal membranes such as those in the nose and throat. The most common Staph infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Breaks in the skin allow Staph to get inside your body and travel to organs where they can do more damage.
Common Symptoms
The simplest symptom of staff infection is a boil, a collection of pus, redness and swelling. It often occurs at the armpits or groin and can break and release blood and pus. Progression may lead to impetigo or crusting, and cellulitis, or inflammation of the connective tissue under the skin. Impetigo is most common in children and babies and is usually composed of blisters that ooze pus or other liquid and have an outer yellowish crust. The sores are usually around the nose and mouth.
In cellulitis, which most often occurs in older people's legs and feet, follicles create dimples that give the skin the appearance of an orange peel.
Scalded skin syndrome can develop, although this is rare and is most common in infants. Blisters, rash and fever characterize it. When the blisters burst, the skin below appears red and burned.
In breastfeeding women, it can result in mastitis, or inflammation, and abscess, of the breast.
Severe Symptoms
Scalded skin syndrome, or Ritter's disease, occurs mostly in children under five years old. The bacteria produce an exotoxin, usually a protein, that destroys the structures that keep the different skin layers together. Blisters form and the skin sloughs off. This can occur over large areas of the body and can be deadly. Often this infection occurs in hospitals when unclean procedures are used. It is necessary to treat scalded skin syndrome with intravenous antibiotics and to keep the skin from being dehydrated.
One common severe symptom resulting from Staph getting into your bloodstream and traveling to your heart is endocarditis.
Toxic-shock syndrome is linked to skin wounds, surgery and tampon use. This life-threatening condition has been linked to the use of certain types of tampons and, less often, to skin wounds and surgery. Symptoms include fever and symptoms of shock such as nausea and vomiting, rash, headache, seizures, low blood pressure and muscle aches. This can turn fatal in just days.
Septic arthritis can be caused by Staph bacteria when they get into joints. Symptoms are joint swelling, pain, fever and chill.
Resistance to Drugs
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA) is a strain of staph that is resistant to several different antibiotics and it can be fatal. Most MRSA infections occur in health care settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. People who are very young or old, or have weakened immune systems, are most vulnerable. Symptoms generally are small red bumps that resemble pimples or spider bites. They turn into deep, painful abscesses. They often require surgical draining. Sometimes bacteria penetrate the skin and cause infections in bones, joints, surgical wounds, blood and organs. This can be life-threatening.
