Staph Disease
Staph disease, otherwise known as MRSA, results from bacteria called Staphylococcus, according to the Mayo Clinic. Staph disease results in skin infections, serious pneumonia and soft tissue infections. Staph is an extremely serious disease that requires professional medical treatment.
Symptoms
When an individual first contracts staph disease small red pumps that look like spider bites or pimples will appear on her skin. If left untreated, these small red bumps can turn into deep abscesses that can be extremely painful. These abscesses often require surgical draining depending on how severe they are. Sometimes staph disease will only infect skin, but other times the disease will infect the inside of the body. If staph disease reaches the inside of the body it can cause life-threatening infections in joints, bones, the heart and lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Causes
Staph disease can enter the body through an open cut or wound and usually only causes small skin problems. In recent years, staph has spread from person to person by sharing athletic equipment in high school and college locker rooms, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Risk Factors
People who are older tend to get serious staph infections, especially if they have weaker immune systems. Young people are also at a high risk for staph disease because their immune systems are not fully developed. Participating in contact sports is also a risk factor for staph disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. People who work in the health care industry are also at a higher risk for staph disease because of their frequent contact with sick individuals.
Prevention
According to the Mayo Clinic, washing your hands several times throughout the day is one of the best ways to prevent staph disease. Wash your hands for 15 to 30 seconds and use a disposable towel to dry them. Hand sanitizers that contain at least 62 percent alcohol also help to fight against staph disease by keeping hands clean. Using hand sanitizers can sometimes be even more effective than washing your hands with soap and water.
Another way to prevent staph infection is by washing and cleaning cuts. Cuts should be covered with sterile dry bandages until they fully heal to prevent infection. Women can decrease their chances of getting staph infection by changing their tampons frequently. Women should change their tampons every four to eight hours. Sharing items such as sheets, razors, drinks, athletic equipment and towels can cause staph infection. You should never share person items with another person because it can spread staph disease.
Treatment
According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, staph infection is usually treated with antibiotics. However, not all antibiotics treat staff successfully. Many strains of staph disease have developed resistance to many kinds of antibiotics. Antibiotics that still treat staph disease successfully include clindamycin, daptomycin, doxycycline, linezolid, minocycline, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and vancomycin. Other treatments for staph disease include kidney dialysis and fluids and medications given through a vein.
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