Staphylococcus aureus (which is occasionally given the nickname golden staph) is a bacterium, frequently living on the skin or in the nose of a healthy person, that can cause illnesses ranging from minor skin infections (such as pimples, boils, and cellulitis) and abscesses, to life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis and septicemia. Each year some 500,000 patients in American hospitals contract a staphylococcal infection.
staph infection symptoms
- Pain and swelling around an open wound (cut or scrape) of the skin.
- Furuncles (boils) and carbuncles, white-headed pimples around hair follicles.
- Blistering and peeling skin, in infants and young children.
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin.
role in disease
The Staphylococcus lives as a commensal on the skin and in the nose, but can infect other tissues when normal barriers have broken down (e.g. skin or mucosal lining). This leads to furuncles (boils) and carbuncles (a collection of furuncles).
Staph infections can be spread through contact with pus from an infected wound, skin to skin contact with an infected person, and contact with objects such as towels, sheets, clothing, or athletic equipment used by an infected person.
Deep Staphylococcus infections can be very severe. Prosthetic joints are particularly at risk, and staphylococcal endocarditis (infection of the heart valves) may be rapidly fatal.
preventing staph infections
Basic Handwashing techniques such as those developed by Professor G.A.J. Ayliffe, which has six steps are effective in preventing the transmission of Staphylococcus aureus. By the use of "standard precautions", and where necessary "additional precautions", the risk of transmission can be further reduced.
Staphylococcus aureus appears as a Gram-positive coccus, in grape-like clusters when viewed through a microscope and as large, round golden-yellow colonies, with beta-haemolysis when grown out on agar plates. Staphylococcus aureus is differentiated from most other staphylococci by the coagulase test. Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase-positive, while all other Staphylococci are coagulase-negative.
S. aureus has become resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. Up to 20% of all Staphylococcus isolates is resistant to penicillin, which has led to the introduction of flucloxacillin as first-line antistaphylococcal antibiotic.
An increasing problem since the 1950s has been resistance of S. aureus to flucloxacillin, oxacillin and similar ?-lactamase resistant antibiotics. As methicillin is used in laboratories to assess for this type of resistance, the term Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is in use to denote these strains. MRSA is generally sensitive to the glycopeptide antibiotics vancomycin and teicoplanin.
In 1997, physicians were alarmed to encounter staph strains that resist even vancomycin, to which it had previously always been sensitive. Due to this resistance, S. aureus is sometimes referred to as a superbug although it is in fact no more infectious than before it acquired this antibiotic resistance.
Staphylococcal resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins is expressed as beta-lactamase production: enzymes which break down the beta-lactam ring of the penicillin molecule. Other resistance-conferring mutations include altered penicillin-binding proteins to which penicillins bind poorly.
Posted by Staff at May 20, 2005 5:22 AMblog comments powered by Disqus
Why do they tell you to eat yogurt when you are on the antibiotics to treat a staph infection
(This one being in the nasal passages)???
Posted by: Lynn at June 9, 2005 8:59 PM
The antibiotics kill the good bacteria in the intestines (being acidophilus and bifidus). This can lead to the body not being able to break down food properly for absorption, and to the body not being able to keep the natural yeasts in the intestines in balance.
When the good bacteria are low, the body does not flourish and the yeast can grow out of control. So, forward thinking physicians recommend pro-biotics to help build back the flora and fauna of the intestines. There are differing theories as to when the pro-biotics should be taken, but all agree not with the anti-biotics (or you kill the new bacteria you are introducing to the body). Many physicians wait until after the course of anti-biotics has completed.
Posted by: Sympotoms 101 Team at June 10, 2005 1:57 AM
yes i had a question, i have had my nipples for almost a year, but once while i was changing the rings a white liquid leaks out sometimes.....just recently this week my nipples have hurt so bad that whenever i would just turn the ring a little i would get an excrutiating pain from my chest all the way down to my stomach so i took them out but it is till very painful and little puss is leaking out, could this just be staph or something more serious... my throat has become soar and i have been gettin light sensitive bad headaches...could that possibly be linked with staph?
Posted by: liane at July 18, 2005 6:41 AM
Thanks for your question liane. Staff is a serious infection, and an infected nipple with possible linked symptoms of headaches, and a sore throat should not be taken lightly. I would see a physician as soon as possible. You don't want the staff infection to go deeper, yet it sounds like it has already begun to.
Posted by: Staff at July 18, 2005 5:22 PM
My Aunt has been hospitalized for some weeks now. They had informed the family that she had staph infection from her kidney dialysis which caused sores all over her arms. Soon after they did surgery on her heart valve as they said it was present there as well. The put in some type of cow valve and she did fine thru surgery. She began physical therapy a week ago. I just received a phone call from my mother that informed me that my aunt was put back in the hospital as they said that the staph infection was back.
I'm not understanding how it got into her heart and where it came from in the first place. Can you help me understand this better?
Thanks a bunch.
Posted by: Kari at July 22, 2005 2:47 AM
Thank you for your question Keri,
Staph is everywhere. It is in the air we breath and in the food we eat. In some individuals, their immune system is just week enough that the staph can set root in the body and thrive. What we are seeing in our country currently is more and more resistant staph. They are getting used to antibiotics (which are less than 75 years old).
To get a different perspective, it may help to look through the eyes of Chinese Medicine, which is 5000 years old. In this system, what we call staph is usually what they consider a "hot" infection. That being one that is red and swollen as apposed to pale and cold. Antibiotics according to Chinese Medicine are all cold in nature. What this system sees as going on is that over time, we as humans are becoming colder ourselves. And all we have to help fight off the staph is cold in nature. For this reason, if your grandmother was in China, she would be given herbs to tonify her immune system which are warming while removing the infection with specific cold herbs to target the part of her body that is hot. Western Medicine has no such treatment, so we keep trying to find the best way to remove the heat with cold without looking at the health of the immune system.
We can hope that your grandmother's heart responds well to the treatment, and know that you can help her with food to tonify her immune system. There is a great book, "healing with whole foods" by Paul Pitchford. Well worth the read to help point your family in the right direction.
Posted by: Staff at July 22, 2005 3:01 AM
My husband was recently diagnosed and treated for staph infection which started with an open blister. Several of our neighbors in one family in the past week have had flu like symptoms of vomitting and diahrea. If staph enters the system internally what type of symptoms can a patient have? Our sister advised we not touch the wound area and wash thoroughly so as not to have the infection spread internally. However, I do not know what the symptoms would be. Thank you for your help.
Posted by: Sherry at August 2, 2005 6:27 AM
HI My husband went in Hospital for a Quaterzone Injection in his bad back to releive the pain. One week later he was rushed to hospital with High temp, and loss of vision as well , he was diagnosed with staph infection, but the doctor can not see any signs of how he contracted the disease. He is having an MRI scan today to show if the infection has gone into his bones . Any opinions?
Posted by: Lynne at August 3, 2005 4:20 AM
i have sores on the inside of both nasal passages, and my doctor advised me that it was golden staph,and prescribed a nasal ointment.
i have a 6 month old daughter and am worried that i may pass it on to her or my husband. what precautions can i take and what may some symptoms be to look out for if she or my husband may contract it?
Posted by: simone at August 4, 2005 1:45 PM
I had what was either an aggravted hair follicle or a bug bite on my leg which turned into boils and after stupidly shaving before the infection was gone, have now spread the pimple-like sores up my whole calf. the dermatoligist says its satph and has me on antibiotics in my nose, on my leg and orally. i'm hoping it will clear soon. however, around the time it got bad, i also developed some sporadic trouble breathing and a pain behind my "wing bone" in my back - maybe i pulled a muscle working too hard - but after reading that some staph can lead to pneumonia, is it possible i have pnemonia and don't know it? how do you test for pnemonia?
Posted by: shannon at August 16, 2005 3:08 AM
I have had staff infections 10 times. Shouldn't my body be immune to it? I have try all kind of treatments. However, I did find that a cold ice pack tends to slow down the growth. I have been taking Dicloxacillin 500MG. I have tryed antibiotics soaps to help keep it away, but that didn't work. What to do?
Posted by: edgarmejia at August 24, 2005 11:06 AM
i am a bk (below-knee) amputee, ultimately due to staph 3 1/2yrs. ago. i recently got a new prothesis (in May), which started really hurting my leg, and causing low-grade fevers. i had an x-ray of knee, which showed deformity and severe arthritis. long story short, i went to hospital, where bone biopsy showed coagulase-negative staph. was given broad-spectrum antibiotic IV, sent home. then got an MRI, which showed edema and inflammation in deep subcutaneous tissues-exactly where i am still having pain, one month after hospitalization. could this pain be strictly from arthritis--or still possible "true" staph??? HELP!!!
Posted by: karen at August 26, 2005 5:28 AM
If you have been through this journey to date, and are still getting pain in the area, I would suggest looking outside the realms of western medicine to Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are many herbs and Tx for localized pain and arthritis, and wether the pain is arthritis and/or staff, what I am wondering about is what condition in your body is allowing it to live as it does. The chemestry is off slightly, and this is where another paradigm may be benificial. By all means, get it tested by your physician as you don't want to live in ignorance, but also, try consulting a TCM herbalist / acupuncturist in your area if you have one. A good place to look is http://www.NCCAOM.org.
Posted by: Staff at August 26, 2005 5:50 AM
About 3 weeks ago my mother was in ICU with pneumonia and Staph Infection. We took the necessary precautions wearing PPE and handwashing. During this time I was sick with what I thought was a common cold (started with a sore throat, sinus congestion, headache, etc. All the symptoms went away in normal time except the sinus congestion which stayed about a week longer then dried up, however about 4 days after that I developed a very sore throat with fever on the 2nd day only. Last night I noticed some blistering and even a small amount of bleeding in my throat so I started warm salt water gargles 2-3 times which helped, lower in my throat to midway down my esophagus (where the salt is not getting) I still feel quite raw and sore (this is day 4). I have a 3 year old who is also sick with simalar symptoms, so I am very concerned for her. Is it possible that I (we) also have Staph infection? Any info you can give would be appreciated!
Posted by: Candy at October 1, 2005 11:12 AM
My hands generally were an open, oozing, raw, orgasmic itch, until of course I sought the Lord, and started using antifungals. Antifungals keep the itch down, but am not completely healed. Food and constipation is what I react to. Hmmmm !
Sounds like you may have systemic Candida.
Posted by: Lynda at October 11, 2005 2:55 AM
my one year old son just had gromets put in and now has a second infection the dr said it is golden staff no one will tell me anything about it will he have it for life and how do i find out about it and what do i do thank you
Posted by: kim at October 18, 2005 12:13 AM
I have had staph 6 sores on my left knee during the past six months. I have been to the doctor, and he keeps putting me on amoxi-clav. I wash my hands frequently, but I do have 3 3year olds and a 7 year old. The triplets have had several sores and my wife has had 1. I did not used to have these sores until recently. Please help me end the agony!!!
Posted by: Stuart at November 1, 2005 8:50 PM
hi there, my sister had a opperation and then contracted the staph, for ages she was on all sorts of pills, and i seemed not to catch it for months, then i got a blister on my hand, and hat to get it opperated on, being a diabetic does not help at all, ever since i stopped taking the the staphlex pills because i found out i was allergic to penacilin, i have them comming up all over the place i shower 3 times a day sometimes, yet i still cant get rid of them, what can i use that wont involve penacilin?
Posted by: Ash at November 5, 2005 11:57 PM
I have had some samll infected spots in one or the other side of my nose. Now they are in both sides of my nose and I have what feels like a very sensitive pimple forming on the tip of my nose. I tried ointments for cold sores. What else could I try. They won't seem to go away.
Posted by: Lisa at November 10, 2005 4:59 PM
I was diagnoised with Staph and the doctor perscribed me Clindamycin, Bactrim, and they also gave me some type of oinment that is for your nose that also treats infitigo. I also got a shot of Rhocephin. I think that is how you spell all of the above. But I need to know if this is a proper way to treat a Staph infection. Please contact me at the following email address.
thank you, Ashlie Henderson
Posted by: Ashlie at November 10, 2005 10:32 PM
I was diagnosed with genital herpes,which is what i thought was on the opening to my vagina.I treated for herpes but the infection continued.i also had a culture done and it was negative. The doctor treated me for staph infection. Did you ever hear of someone getting staph in the vagina?
Posted by: dee at November 14, 2005 9:38 PM
I have what I thought was a cyst on my calf; however, a friend thought it was infitigo due to the redness, peeling and puffiness of the skin tissue within the circle. I have had this sore for 3 months and it is now the size of a half dollar and is also becoming very tender. What do you think?
Posted by: Patty at November 16, 2005 10:46 PM
sore kidneys yes, sore eyes yes, boils yes, leg ulcer yes,headache yes, fever yes,contagist yes, I have already sent many many people to the emergency rooms by my contact,how is this going to end ?
Posted by: d a v e at November 17, 2005 3:25 PM
Several years ago I had staph infection after a spinal operation. I was put on a short 14 day program to get it out of my surgery area. It cleared up but I felt and saw raised areas along the scar tissue for several years with pain in that area.Down my neck and across my upper back.
Now this year, the staph has surfaced in large amounts and very deep to the device that was placed on my cervical spine. Can this be the same stapf infection that I had? One surgon say's yes and another bug doctor said he has never heard of staph living in the same are so long. Now I'm told that if the staph is not killed, I have a
short time to live. On anti-biotics I.V. right now. The surgeon wants to operate on me and wash me out? Aslo wants to remove the device on my spine because he states it has been hiding there all of this time after the first treatment years ago. I believe you can read how serious this is.
Ron Wheeler Ronsclassicrides@MSN.com
Ps: My sed rate went dow for a few weeks and now is climbing again..
Posted by: Ron Wheeler at December 14, 2005 7:02 PM
There's something going around in our area & people are getting severe sore throats - maybe sinus or chest congestion - but the sore throat is the main thing. Strep comes back negative and Z-Pak doesn't seem to knock it out - I'm on my 2nd round of antibiotics & hoping that will. A co-worker said the Dr. he went to suggested it may be a Staph infection? Is that a common thing & easily passed from person to person like a common cold?
Posted by: Robin at December 16, 2005 12:33 AM
hey my mom just went to the doctors and said she had staph and im really worried about it so now she on anibotics and she doing better thank you
Posted by: amber baker at December 28, 2005 1:01 AM
I've been diagnosed with staph of the skin twice by Q-tip sample but by blood test everything comes back normal except, higher cholesterol and lower testosterone levels (I think because of poor diet from staph).I Can't eat anything sweet or dairy products or anything pickled it would trigger massive headaches. I use to be an athlete but now I am a shell of a man with very little energy and stamina. Im losing hope!HELP PLEASE..Duracef is promising but I need IV treatment whats your view on Cubicin?
Posted by: Bob at January 9, 2006 10:48 AM
My mom is in ICU right now for Staph. She went to the hospital 2 weeks ago for kidney failure and also was just diagnosed with lymphoma. They had to put a pick line in, at which she developed staph through that line. No doctors diagnosed it right away, so she was shipped to a different hospital where they thought she had a heart attack. But now they know it affected her heart and other main organs and they are pretty sure, she is not going to make it.
Please tell people to be more aware of the symptons because if you dont catch it right away, it will be already too late!
Posted by: andrea at January 14, 2006 2:00 PM
I have sores in both nostrils and they seem to flair or return whenever I have stomach or Gallbladder problems. I am 54 years old and my doctor says all my problems are related to menopause. What does that mean? My hormones are low and the bacteria in my body grows when I miss a period? I had some veins zaped on my nose in June and since that time the nose sores started. Now I am having pain under the right rib cage and my lower back has been hurting for 3 wks. I am embarrassed to go to the doctor. I had a problem with sores in my nose in the early 90's and the Dr was very ugly to me and wrote on the prescription for the pharmacist to ask me when filling the prescription if I knew how to apply the ointment (not with the fingers).
Posted by: Margie at January 18, 2006 2:52 PM
After recent nasal surgery, the doctor discovered thick mucous in the sinuses several weeks later. He sent it out for a culture. It returned positive for staph infection. I did not feel any different or notice any eternal changes. Antibiotics have been prescribed.
My question is two-fold;
1) What happens if a staph infection goes untreated?
2) Since I had this infection for approximately 3-4 weeks before it was discovered, are there any long term risks or potential health damage.
Posted by: Glen at January 25, 2006 7:11 PM
My six year old son had a small ring worm infection that appeared on his neck, and disappeared is this a sign of staph infection.
Posted by: Renita at January 27, 2006 1:23 AM
I need to found out more about golden staph for my daughter's school home work the school thinks golden staph is from food can you plz tell me how and where it comes from i know that you can get it from some hospitals so if you can send me the right informashen about it that my daughter can write it down for her home work thank you from Tess
Posted by: Tess at January 30, 2006 8:42 AM
hi i had a an operation 2 years ago for a detearating ankle joint and had to have ankle surgery to fuse my ankle together.
the problem is that my one of my incision areasthe right under my ankle keep reopening up and i keep getting a staph infection in it
please tell how i can keep my incison from reopening up and getting staph infections
Posted by: Darnell at January 31, 2006 5:40 AM
i was wondering why is everybody getting staff infections when in the hospital.do that seem odd -when it is very steriole,my father was in the hospital last year and all of a sudden he has staff infection -they could not find the right antibiotic-finally they had found some that was dilivered to the hospital. then now this year he went to get up to walk and could not stand on his foot.back in the hospital -now he has to go threw a major surgrey-because the infection is eating at his bones. they are going to try to clean out as much as they can,then hopefully in 12 weeks-its ok but if not he may lose his foot or part of his leg.I WOULD THINK SOMEONE WOULD CHECK TO SEE WHY SO MANY IN THE HOSPITAL ARE GETTING THIS.
can someone tell me why
Posted by: sue at February 9, 2006 5:52 PM
My boyfriend got a staph infection on his genitals and I found a sore on mine so I went in to get it checked. They did some tests as well as a herpes test. I came out positive for staph and herpes but only had one sore. My boyfriend has had a few herpes tests done but he comes out negitive and his doctor says it doesnt look like herpes either. We dont know where either of us could have gotten herpes and I was wondering if the lab could have made a mistake and the herpes test could have been wrongfully diagnosed as positive. Hope to hear back soon, very stressed and confused.
Posted by: Dale at February 17, 2006 5:07 PM
My 15 year old daughter had pierced her nipples and one started to get infected. She took the nipple rings out hoping to heal, and shortly after developed extreme pain in her left breast. This went on for a couple of days until she started to feel very large lumps, and more intense pain. After she told me about it I took her to the doctor. She was given antibiotics and told to use warm compresses to try and get it to drain. They sent in a sample to the lab and it was a staph infection. She got some to drain the first day, but no more. The pain got worse and she could not use her left arm so I took her back. They scheduled her with a surgeon who went and cut about an inch and squeezed a lot of infection out. He gave me some q-tips, and twice a day I need to douse them in peroxide and stick them in the cut to keep it open. She has gause to keep in her bra to catch the discharge, and is still taking the antibiotics. She also has vicodin for pain. I have taken her temperature and it has been right arount 100-100.5 degrees since the procedure. I am concerned first of all about the fever, as she did not have one before, and secondly about how contageous she might be. I have an 8 year old daughter home from school with strep throat. I would appreciate any advice you will give. Thank you, Laura
Posted by: Laura at February 24, 2006 12:25 PM
my name is tiffany and today after i got out of the tanning bed i noticed a bump on my neck like a bug bite and it started itching and i was wondering if it could posibbly be staph??
Posted by: tiffany at February 28, 2006 11:30 PM
Dr diagnosed me with a staph infection in Jan 2006. I have been on one antiobiotic after another, never fully "cured". My sister had an accident on Feb 21, 2006. she fell of her porch & fell on her head...on the outside it looks like
a terrible gash that left her skull showing. On the inside, her brain is bleeding in the front & back of the skull. she was lifeflighted to a hospital in Atlanta, where she remains in critical condition. Since being in ICU, she has acquired phenomonia & a staph infection...She has a long road ahead of her as her lungs went into shock, which has complicated matters worse...This whole staph infection has gotten me
scared...Did I give it to her? Dr says "No" I was already on antiobiotics & couldn't have been contagious....hospitals is where it originated & she likely got hers their...I have heard that staph is now an epidemic in the general population which used to be contained in hospital or like environments...Will I ever get rid of it & if i have had it, is it in my bones?
I have not felt "good" for a long time...just looking for answers...
Posted by: LSF at March 8, 2006 3:13 PM
My son just went through 2 weeks of having mutiple strokes and a major heart attack. The day he passed away we had to all wear masks, gloves and gowns because he had one of the really bad staph infections. We were there with him for 4 days before they found out he was infected. My question is what are the symptoms we should be watching for. My nose is very sore on the inside and a little on the outside and my eyes were "glued" together this morning. I have had open heart surgery and am really desperate to know if I should be concerned. Please let me know as soon as you can.
Posted by: Inez Nichols at March 16, 2006 5:49 PM
Hello my name is heather im and i was wondering years old and i think i maybe i have staph infection. because about a week ago i got a tattoo on my leg and now it is all swelled, hurting real bad and i have not none tattoos to do that and my whole ankle is swelled out too its all most been two weeks now and it still has not healed. my ankle looks like it has a golf ball in it. But also i have sugery one my big toe a month ago and it still has not gone away and it is infected. My tattoo and my bad toe is on the same leg so i was just wondering what might the problem, if any one can help me please e-mail me at email@example.com
Posted by: Heather at March 22, 2006 5:40 AM
my daughter got starp infection on the back upper leg. we know that came from her boy friend. he told us later he & his roommate had it from baseball team at college. she had to have her's lanced and cream on it and bactrim. she hasn't had one after that. now my other daughter that is in sports has one about every other month. we take bactrim put cream in nose & cream on spot. we use a heating pad on it to make the stuff come out. boy does it. now i got one & my boyfriend too. i bleech my house wash all clothes even the dog. i am sick of this in my house what can we do?
Posted by: carla at March 25, 2006 1:17 AM
in jan 2005 i was told that i had a staph infection in my left breast i have been on meds and it goes a way and come back now i have to have a galactogram is this normal for it to be in your breast ducts it 's in my lt breast can it cause problems with my heart or orther thing in my body.
Posted by: ashe at April 8, 2006 5:21 AM
I keep getting boils all over my body and have been to the doctor twice but they just gave me standard antibiotics. No one told me about a staph infection but after researching it, I believe that is what I have. I have been getting these painful boils for a year. why do I keep getting them in different places?
Posted by: Cara at April 19, 2006 4:15 AM
My husband has Alzheimer's and was hospitalized and catheritized in January; placed in a NH in February, and has had chronic UTI since January, which was what he was treated for in the hospital. Now, I have found out he has staph infection in the urine culture, and I am wondering how this happened. Catheter? The NH says he could have spread from having some on his hands and then transferring it when using the BR. However, most of the time he is either catheritized or the nurses/aides take him to the bathroom, so I don't think he could have transferred it himself. Is this a serious condition, and will antibiotics clear it up? I have always heard staph can be very dangerous to people in hospital situations, as their immune systems aren't as good. Previous to this, he had several UTIs, and after being on antibiotics for ten days, then it would be better, but it just keeps recurring. He gets very cranky, restless, combative, doesn't slee well, etc., when this is happening but seems to snap out of that when the antibiotic is continued.
Posted by: June Christensen at April 29, 2006 3:38 AM
my job has it staph what should i do about it
Posted by: mekiela at May 5, 2006 4:26 AM
What is treatment now if antibiotic resistant??
Posted by: Robyn at May 13, 2006 12:57 AM
I have Resistant Staph my doctor keeps giving me antibotics but it only last for a while and they return. I take a bath twice a day, change my towels after each bath and I have no Spleen it was remove in 1989. I started getting these infections in Dec. 2005 they go away for a couple of weeks and return. They are very painful is there anything for this.
Posted by: Betty at May 20, 2006 7:54 AM
I HAVE HAD STAPH NOW TWO TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. I HAVE SORES ON MY ARM. THEY ARE TREATING ME WITH SEPTRA. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT REALLY GOES AWAY OR NOT? I KEEP LITTLE WHITE HEAD LOOKING BUMPS ON MY ARMS ALL THE TIME.
Posted by: RAE at May 24, 2006 3:51 PM
I have had folliculitis for over a year now. I have tried Cloxacillin and another antibotic (cephelyex)? that is not as strong. Each time the folliculitis goes away while I am on the anti-biotics but just over a month after I am done the Meds it comes back. Why won't it go away and should I be worried
Posted by: JASON at May 27, 2006 12:59 AM
I have gotten a staph infection for the second time in six months. They start out as what appear to be small insect bites that eventually turn into boils. I get tattooed allot and am wonder if this can be contributed to this. I constantly wash my hands and use antibacterial sanitizer. I don't want to stop getting tattoos, so what can I do to help prevent getting these infections?
Posted by: Angelina at June 2, 2006 12:53 AM
I had kneck fussion last year upon awakening I suffered severe itching. The nurses & doctor determined it was a allergery I received allergy nshots for 2 days. 4days later I ended up in emergency whwere again they treated me for allergies,it turned out 1 week later my insission broke its self open and I had had staph 4 rumetoid factor they treated me badly , I had to have my kneck packed every day 4 2 weeks I could have died due to their neglegence what should I do ?
Posted by: Doe at June 16, 2006 8:54 AM
I have a staph infection in my knee and have been taking antibiotics. My knee seems to be getting better but i have developed a swelling and tenderness along the vein on the inside of my arm. Is this poison in my bloodsteam. I need some advice Thank You Tim Tyler
Posted by: Tim Tyler at June 29, 2006 6:43 PM
I have just been diagnosed for a staph infection. The doctor called it folliculitis and put me on bactrim. I work in a hospital on the labor and delivery unit. I was wondering will I always have this infection? Will it go away? Can I give it to others? Will I lose my job because of this? I really want to know and I'm really scared that it may be MRSA. Please help me. thanks.
Posted by: Rebecca at July 11, 2006 6:36 PM
I have a renter in one of my houses that just move out and had a staff infection. What do I need to do to clean this home and can I catch it?
Posted by: lori Rymkos at July 12, 2006 6:04 PM
I was sitting out one night and ended up with a lot of bug bites. The next day I noticied a red blotch next to one of the bites and my leg was swollen. I went to the hospital and they said it was a staph infection. Could I have gotten it from a mosiqutio?
Posted by: Anne at July 18, 2006 12:01 AM
Hi I have been diagnosed with staph infection. I am wondering whether it will be cured. Is there any good herbal medicine to cure it completely. Are Chinese traditional medicines capable of curing it completely
Posted by: Manish at July 18, 2006 6:39 AM
My son is 32 years old. When he was born he had a cut over his eyebrow from the use of forecepts (sp?). Post delivery I was pretty mangled so I stayed in the hospital for a week and his grandparents took turns taking care of him. I finally came home and took care of him. When he was 4 weeks old, within a couple of days he was covered with blisters and looked horrible. I took him back to the hospital and they kept him for 4 weeks with IVs all in him and no one would ever tell us what was wrong. Finally a nurse told my mother it was staph infection. It all cleared up and I took him home and gave him oatmeal baths and it went away and he was a perfectly healthy child and now a grown man with no health problems. Do you think it was staph infection and how do you think he got it? One odd thing was I never received a bill from the hospital. Nothing. I've always wondered what it was and I always kinda blamed myself because I was really young.
Posted by: Nancy at August 17, 2006 6:12 PM
Hi my brother is a brittle diabetic and I recently picked him up from the hospital and found out he has a bad staph infection he really didnt touch anything around him in the car nor did he touch me but my question is can I get this just by him being in the car? He has a huge very bad sore on top of his head that he has had for several years and just getting worse.
Posted by: Esther Garcia at August 18, 2006 3:41 AM
i have what i thought was a spider bite under my right arm ,it has been 2months now and the spider bite is about well but now my right breast is swollen and i have white liquid running out my nipple and i itch all over and have a rash all over my body some people say i have a staph infection ,i have already took 4 antibiotics ann i am still itching and my breast is swollen at the nipple and red and i have the white liquid comeing out .please tell my if i have staph infection or not.thanks ,sharlt.
Posted by: sharlot at August 21, 2006 5:42 AM
I am 21 years old and i contracted a staph infection from wrestling mats and open wound on my knee last week. I immediatly went to the doctor becuase I knew staph was going around, and they determined that I did have a staph infection on the surface of both knees, but also signs of it on the top of my foot, my hand, and my chin. The prescribed me "Trimeth/sulfa DS tabs", which the doc referred to as Bactrum i think, then also a topical cream called "Bactroban Cream 30 grams". Recently, the infections look dried and almost gone when all of a sudden they started itching alot, and then they became swollen it looks like and i've been seeing tiny other outbreaks other places on my body. What does this mean?
Posted by: Andrew at August 21, 2006 3:50 PM
I had staph infection and my doctor only gave me 10 days of antibiotics to take and now my 6 month old daughter is in the hospital with staph. The dr. I seen to follow up with said that she could not get it from me but she did what antibiotics should I take to get rid of it. Is there anything I can do to make the dr. pay for her being in the hospital, because he lied to me.
Posted by: Keitha at August 23, 2006 11:36 PM
I am 54 Years old and have diabetes I've never before had sores all over my body for 3 years they seem to get better at times but them about the time I think their getting better I have another out break of them. I have been to 2 skin specialist, they say it's staff ,I'm so ashame I have to wear long sleeves in the hot weather to church , the Doctors also gave me the cream bactroban it did'nt seen to help much .The way the sores appear is I start itching then all of a sudden there's a blister it burst and then I have a sore they hurt all the time and are not pleasant to look at I'm desperate I even thought of getting my doctor to refer me to a hospital to get to the botton of this and to the doctors said that I would be on antibotics for the rest of my life and they make me feel so bad ,and now to join that I've began coughing if in some way you can help me please do I'm so discouarage about this .I've been using teatree oil products it seens to help with the drying up but they don't seen to be going away please help if you can. Thankyou and Godbless.
Posted by: Patty at August 24, 2006 4:06 AM
I haved had itcy little pimples all over my body and sores and pain in my nose for more then two months,I went to the emegency room and they said it was poisen ivey,but now recently I have them in patches inside my buttcrack,that itches very babadly,could itbe staph infection and are they curable and the matress Ive been laying on should it be thrown out,please inform me
Posted by: RB at August 29, 2006 3:11 PM
My son plays high school football and for the past 2 weeks I have been washing his practice jerseys and his work out clothes from the school becouse 9 of the boys on his team of 56 players have staph infections. have required surgery. My son is experiencing a fever and a stiff neck, I was told that this is a symptom and Iam taking him to the hospital today but was wondering if Iam being overly cautious or should I have taken him in earler. He has a cut on his finger and he works in a fast food resturant.
Posted by: Melody at September 3, 2006 1:37 PM
I am 23yrs. old and in 2002 i had to have my appendix removed. The surgrey had to be done very quickly. The surgeon said that when he opened me up that my appendix had gangreen on it and had to pour over a gallon of antibotics in me. About 3 to 4 weeks later i started to get boils on my breasts. They would open and drain but would leave holes the size of a pencil and then they would scar. I went to my doctor and he told me that it was a staph infection but he did not do any sort of tests but gave me an antibotic which worked but after i ran out of it he wouldn't give me anymore(it was a cream)Since then i have proceeded to get sores on my breasts, in between my legs, on my vagina, and now on my stomach. I have been researching lately and i am very scared now that it could be headed towards my heart. I would really like to know what i need to do to prevent it from going into my heart and further damaging my body. What should i do?PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!
P.S. please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.org thank you
Posted by: Nikki at September 8, 2006 8:49 AM
this is the first time that I use this and I am not sure if I am doing it right. Do I just post a concern and people will respond?
Posted by: Leslie at September 13, 2006 11:44 AM
I recently (June 06) had a pacemaker implant, and I am still having trouble with my incision... My scar itches and burns, and at one time I had little yellow blisters on the scar itself. Now I can only see one blister, but I am still having the itching and burning. Now I am having muscle spasms in my neck and shoulder... Can these be related? Could I have a staph infection?
Posted by: Donna Gunn at September 20, 2006 5:47 AM
About 3 weeks ago I was bitten by one of my dogs, right on my butt. He is a small dog and only two teeth went through, but it hurt sooo bad for a week I couldnt sit on that cheek. It was very red but didnt pus. After about 7 days I became very sick. I had a headache,sore throat,major head conjestion, my neck on the left side hurt so bad It brought tears to my eyes to turn my head, and over all joint pain and oh yeah a slight fever.After 4 days of this I felt like I was getting better. I didnt run a fever for a whole day,and my head and throat didnt hurt. That evening I spiked a fever and my chest suddenly became very conjested. I felt like I couldnt breath and it hurts to cough. My nose is running like crazy and Im very week and sick to my stomache. I think I may have pneumonia. I have an appointment with my doctor tomarrow, (if I make it that long with out visiting emergency). My question is, It being the begining of the school year Im passing this off as a bad flu, Isnt it true if it were from the bite, I would have gotten sick sooner than 7 days after the bite?
Posted by: Kari Noble at September 26, 2006 12:34 AM
I have A question. My youngest son is 13
he came home from school yesterday with this rash
on his forhead it is about 1 1/2 by 2 inches.
it looks like alot of little blisters.it is pinkesh-red . There was an artical on the news tonight, about a
whole school distric that was closed because of
staph about 3hours away. could this be a staph
Posted by: Jeanna at October 5, 2006 2:19 AM
hi my name is chris and i just found out that i have a staph infection. i got it from my girlfriend who has cheated on me lately. but thats not even the worst part, she also gave me herpes. i was so angry when i found out about this because i never thought she would cheat on me.
Posted by: chris at October 10, 2006 3:47 PM
i have had a staph infection for three months now and i was wondering if i should be worried at all or is it just taking a long time?
Posted by: nicole at October 10, 2006 11:20 PM
4 wks ago had double hernia operation when I came home from hospital had jp drain tubes in after 3 wks dr. took them out in the last wk Ive had so much drainage where one was. Have to change bandages 3 to 5 times a day. Also I have had in last 24 hrs burning sensation and cramping on the right side I wondered if this could be staph infection? Going to dr. tomorrow to see surgeon.
Posted by: Janice at October 12, 2006 2:54 AM
I recently had a staph infection (about a month ago) i took all of my perscription as directed, but i have another little bump on my leg, i don't want to panic and go running to the doctor again because i have no insurance and visits are quite expensive. Are there any other symptoms to look out for to tell you if you have staph because frankly it could end up being an in grown hair and i don't want to spend money i don't have on checking it out if it is.
Posted by: Samantha at October 14, 2006 8:23 PM
I keep getting these sores that I used to think were spider bites and in fact the first one put me in the emergency room from infection. They didnt do a culture and in fact just took my word that it was likely a spider bite but now Im not so sure as I get one every month or two. Each one has left a lump and scar. Does staph leave this kind of damage?
Posted by: Cheryl at October 16, 2006 1:50 AM
I have had gastric bypass surgery 4 1/2 months ago. I also teach special needs children. The first two weeks of school one of my students had impetigo and left untreated. Our school policy did not allow us to send him home and is multi-handicapped which meant we dealt with changing diapers, picking the student up, etc. The parent informed us that the impetigo was caused by staph. Is it possible that I have it now. I am now having headaches off and on and my glands are swollen. I have found some boils / pimples around my stomach. I'm also concerned if my recent surgery could complicate staph or make it more severe.
Posted by: Donna at October 23, 2006 2:16 AM
I have Folliculitis, and understand that it could be staph infection and it drives me nuts. Dr has not given me anything. in yr 2000 I had back surgery, ( many complications too numerous to explain) and then got Staph Aurolous and could have died, they reopened me, and started antibiotics IV and took antibiotics a long time. Could I have it again? Could it stay in your system and come back, and not be noticed, could kill? Wondered if culture should be taken of scalp, and to see if it is staph? My mom died of Staph after hip surgery. Also, think if this is left to long it could get into bloodstream? I also was cultured once a papsmear and they found STaph, and gave me meds, I seemed to get rid of it.
Thank you. so
1, Can it stay in system, dormant, and come back?
2. Could it be Folliculitis can get into blood thus to kill?
3. Should maybe a culture be run to be safe?
I am a chronically ill person with Fibromyalgia and other things as scuh and NEVER feel well, and have pain ALL the time.
Posted by: Carol at November 6, 2006 8:41 PM
I am 23 yrs old. I have never had a boil in my life until February. My husband, two children and I moved into our apartment last April, then in January we noticed mold coming through our walls in the bathroom. There is obivious major water damage at this point in our walls that our maintenance say they will come fix, but haven't. From February to now I have had 10 boils in different parts of my body,at one point I was even hospitalized for 4 days, my 4 yr. old son has had 4 and my daughter has had one.My stepdad came to stay with us for a few weeks and he got two. We've been through all the treatments each time and wash and clean everything in the house each time. Could this be due to the moldy air in the bathroom or house?
Posted by: VANESSA at November 13, 2006 7:19 PM
Can a Staph Infection be misdiagnosed as Herpes? The Dr. did a test for Herpes, but could it actually be a Staph Infection?
Posted by: Candice at November 14, 2006 9:28 PM
I am 34 years old and about a year ago I started getting boil like sores on my breast and body that are leaving scars and every skin irritation I have will have green puss. I don't have insurance until january and every monthly period I have I noticed I will get a boil either under my arm or my breast or on my upper thighs my breast are red a swollen and when I press them green puss most the time comes out with a lot of force and usually will go away but have left big hole scar and I never know when the next one will come but I really feel sick now a lot and tired and i noticed I am not healing and my hair isn't growing in fact I have a lot of hair falling out I am pale weak could this be more than a staph infection could I take cephalexin and it hold me over until my insurance come through. Thank you for your time I just am scared and when I see these things on my body daily and the damage they have all ready done I feel like I am one big infection and it is killing me.
Posted by: Timmie at November 15, 2006 8:19 PM
Hello, her first big cock here!
Posted by: big cock at November 18, 2006 7:33 AM
I recently went to a doctor about and painful bump on my finger. It is located right above a scar that is over 6 years old. He said it was herpes, but I cannot find any information about it. I was told to soak it in epson salts and if it persisted to see him again. After two soaks it has a clear head that has clear liquid and blood sometimes coming out of it. It is very painful. Any help would be welcome.
Posted by: aleina at November 20, 2006 7:02 PM
Hi. I don't know anything about staph infections but what i have been recently told. My mother has a staph infection, and has boils on her inside thighs. Her b/f got them too. They have bene to the hospital and have been put on one antibiotic, then another, and my mother says the b/f was told he may need a blood transfusion soon if these don't work. What if the antibiotics don't work. Can Staph be fatal? ? Even if trying antibiotics? Please help, I just need to know more.
Posted by: Concerned at December 7, 2006 12:17 AM
I've had a sinus infection for over a month. I've had two different kinds of anti-biotics, I feell okay for a while then I my nose starts hurting and my throat is sore. Do I need a different anti-biotic I've taken augmentin 875mg and ---floxin. Also I have the gross drainage associated with a sinus infection. Please respond.
Posted by: kokie at January 1, 2007 9:12 PM
I was diagnosed with staph infection in my sinuses over a year ago. I cannot take prescription medications, I'm allergic to just about everything. Anyway I still have something in my nose that looks like an ulcer plus it goes up farther in my sinuses. I also have a swelled up lymph gland in my neck. My other sympyons include tireness like my arms & legs are going to fall off and my blood pressure goes high and my stomach hurts and bad belching and then somtimes I get a feeling that is very hard to describe.It's sort of likeyou've been shocked and you feel tingly or pins that burn . It's a very hard thing to try to tell you about.I need some help with this. I see a regular MD plus a naturapath and not much is working.Is there somone who knows anything about this and what it might be?
Posted by: Hazel Holiday at January 1, 2007 10:22 PM
Hello , My husband has a staff infextion. He got it from me ... It is on his belly . Red irritation looking is going all the way around his belly. Now hes running fever and has chills ... Why????
Posted by: bettye at January 6, 2007 9:45 AM
hi im a caregiver and im afraid i was exposed to staff i have a baby which makes me even more concerned. i have headaches more lke migranes. can u tell me what to do
Posted by: jessica at January 6, 2007 10:20 AM
my 5 year old granddaughter has been in the hospital for four days very sick she has welps all over her body that come and go she has troble breathing her and her siblings i believe have staff could this have gotten into her blood stream and be what is making her sick?
Posted by: bess at January 12, 2007 2:46 AM
I got a Staph Infection at the Dr office and 3 weeks later had to be hospitalized. My question is since I got this Staph Infection, did it weaken my immune system? I ask this because I never got sick and now I was sick twice allready....Thank you
Posted by: Kevin at January 15, 2007 5:38 AM
I have had staff now my 5 time. How can I prevent this from happening again. I am allergic to pencillin.
Posted by: carmie at January 19, 2007 11:40 PM
I have lumps, one is in my armpit the other is under my arm close to the armpit. Now I have one on my tail bone and my arm. It started out as a pimple and then keep getting bigger and bigger. I went to the doctor and they took out a lot of pus the other had three boils in it. They are not getting better. I now have three more. What do I need to do so they will not spread any more and go away?
Posted by: Dane Durrant at January 21, 2007 8:39 PM
Can anybody tell me whats going on, my girlfriend has staff on the bend of her knee and lastnight the boil just popped and know its leaking all day and she said it is very very painful does anybody know what this might be from or mean? thanks
Posted by: dennis at January 24, 2007 5:51 PM
Update....06/12/05 2 weeks to live.01/29/07 alive
My killer bacterium is once again sleeping. My sed rate has gone from 45 to the last 3 blood tests of .1 ( test every 3 weeks ). I am of course following my doctors instructions and taking my Keflex every day. I think as my doctor
does, that the Keflex is not what has stopped the bacterium. My blood makeup which is in the top 3 % is doing it. I have been for 20 years taking many kinds of supplements every day and this could be the suppressor not cure of my problem. There is no cure that my doctor knows
about and he tells me straight out. I have a bug that could at anytime stick out it's ugly head again and I will fight it 100% again. Terminal?
Yes, but who is not!!! Ron Wheeler..Oregon
Posted by: Ron Wheeler at January 31, 2007 4:08 AM
I had arthroscopic knee surgery 12 years ago. 3 days later was dignosed with a staph infection and blood clot. Since than I have had 6 surgeries to repair my knee, my immune system is weak and I will some day have to have a knee replacement. When does your immune system recover froms omething like this? And how come nobody talks about the long term damage that it can have? This was a hospitalized infection and here I am 12 years later with my 6th surgery, SAME KNEE! I am only 30... Is there legal action after all this time?
Thank you -Sick of the pain
Posted by: becky at February 1, 2007 5:02 AM
Hi my mom has been in the hospital 9 days she went in for a cough and now they say she has bronchitis and pnenomia and asthma and a rattle in her chest she has been on a breathing machine and i have heard that you can get staph infections from that is that possible I would think she should be feeling better after 9 days of antibotics in a iv shes been getting.
Any help would be appreciated Thank You
Posted by: Tonya at February 6, 2007 4:45 AM
I recently had a boil on my buttocks and after I went to the hospital to have it lanced,2 weeks later I had another one to appear.Is there some kind of antibiotics to keep boils from re-occuring and what measures can you take to prevent them and what are the best treatments?
Posted by: Keith Campbell at February 18, 2007 6:27 PM