Staphylococcus aureus(staph) is a bacteria that normally resides on people’sskinwithout causing problems.
This article discusses the symptoms of a staph infection, how it spreads, treatment, and prevention.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
What Is Staph?
Verywell / Gary Ferster
There are many different types of the bacteriaStaphylococcus.
The strain that most commonly causes infection in humans isStaphylococcus aureus.
Symptoms
Staph can affect many parts of the body, but it often causes a skin infection.
The following are possible outcomes and symptoms from a staph infection:
Is a Staph Infection Contagious?
A staph skin infection develops when there is a break in the skin.
A staph wound is highly contagious through skin-to-skin contact, particularly in crowded living situations or high contact sports.
Staph infection of the digestive tract occurs after ingesting food that has the bacteria.
The bacteria gets into the food from someone with unclean hands who has an infection.
Cooking kills the bacteria, but there are toxins that stay in the food and cause stomach symptoms.
Staph infection of the heart is often brought on by injection drug use or sharing used needles.
Treatment
The majority of staph infections requireantibiotictreatment.
Treatment options depend on the likelihood of bacterial resistance in a particular community.
The best oral antibiotic options for staph that are not resistant to common antibiotics arecephalexinanddicloxacillin.
If a healthcare provider has concerns about MRSA,trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, andclindamycinare the best options.
Skin infections that develop into boils or abscesses usually require incision and drainage.
People who develop more severe infections like pneumonia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, or sepsis need intravenous antibiotics.
The best options includeceftriaxone, vancomycin, orlinezolid.
Still, others might even require surgery to clear out the infection.
If these infections are not managed appropriately, they can become life-threatening.
Summary
Staphylococcus aureusis a bacteria that normally resides on the skin without causing any problems.
People with a suspected staph infection should contact their healthcare provider because antibiotics are often needed.
There are several ways to prevent spreading staph infections, which are highly contagious.
Staph infections are easily treatable before the infection turns severe.
Contact your healthcare provider right away if you think you have a staph infection.
Sometimes there is a yellow crust around a small pimple.
A deeper staph infection can form an abscess that is swollen and soft in the middle.
However, if the condition seems to be getting worse, topical or oral antibiotics might be needed.
An uncomplicated staph abscess sometimes only requires incision and drainage and does not need antibiotics.
It is best to have a healthcare provider decide if antibiotics are necessary.
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