Staph Infection

Staph infections happen when Staphylococcus bacteria get into your body. They most commonly affect your skin. They can cause boils, blisters and sores. Common skin conditions from staph include impetigo, cellulitis and folliculitis.

Staph can also cause infections in your:

• Bloodstream (septicemia)
• Digestive tract (gastroenteritis/food poisoning)
• Heart (endocarditis)
• Bones (osteomyelitis)
• Breasts (mastitis)
• Lungs (pneumonia)

Infections in your bloodstream or deeper in your body, like in your heart, can be life-threatening.

Symptoms of staph infections

Symptoms depend on where the infection is. If you have a staph infection on your skin, you might have sores, boils or pimple-like blisters. Affected areas of your skin might be:

• Swollen
• Warm to the touch
• Red or dark compared to the surrounding skin
• Painful
• Filled with pus or fluid
• Crusty
• Itchy
• Peeling

Symptoms of staph infections in other parts of your body include one or more of the following:

• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Fast heart rate
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Bone or joint pain
• Weakness
• Low blood pressure

Staph infection causes

Staphylococcus bacteria cause staph infections. The most common type that causes infections is Staphylococcus aureus. It can live on your skin or in your nose without causing any issues. It can also contaminate objects and surfaces. If it gets into a wound in your skin or deeper in your body, it can cause an infection.

The bacteria can get into your body:

• Through a break or opening in your skin or mucous membranes, including during surgery
• If you eat contaminated food
• Through medical devices that go into your body, like a central venous line or breathing tube

Risk factors

You’re at a higher risk for staph infections if you:

• Have stayed in the hospital or recently had surgery
• Have medical devices that enter your body
• Have diabetes, vascular disease or eczema
• Have a weakened immune system
• Are breastfeeding
• Have recently worn a tampon for a longer time than recommended
• Inject drugs

Complications

Staph infections can sometimes cause serious complications, especially if the infection is in your bloodstream. They include:

• Sepsis: A life-threatening reaction to an infection in your bloodstream
• Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome: A serious condition that causes skin to peel off all over your body
• Toxic shock syndrome: A life-threatening reaction to toxins in your bloodstream and organs

How doctors diagnose staph infections

A healthcare provider may suspect a staph infection on your skin just by its appearance. They may also test a sample of tissue to determine the type of bacteria causing the infection, usually with a bacteria culture. If you have symptoms of a staph infection somewhere else in your body, they may test your:

• Blood
• Breastmilk
• Mucus coughed up from your lungs (sputum)
• Pee (urine)

They may also recommend other testing, like a CT scan or echocardiogram.

How are staph infections treated?

Healthcare providers treat staph infections with antibiotics. They may prescribe a cream to apply to a skin infection or a pill or liquid to take by mouth. Your provider may also drain boils or abscesses on your skin. For a serious infection, you may need to get antibiotics through an IV in the hospital.

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and other antibiotic-resistant strains of staph cause some staph infections. These are harder to treat because certain antibiotics don’t work on them. If you have a MRSA infection, you may need to take a combination of antibiotics to get rid of it.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

A staph infection can become serious very quickly. See a provider right away if you have signs of an infection.

What can I expect if I have a staph infection?

Some staph infections are easily treatable and get better quickly. Others — especially infections in your blood or deep in your body — are more serious. Antibiotic-resistant infections are harder to treat. Ask your provider what to expect.

How do you prevent staph infections?

You can reduce your risk of a staph infection by:

• Washing your hands frequently
• Keeping cuts and wounds clean
• Not sharing towels and personal items with others
• Handling, storing and cooking food safely
• Changing tampons every four to eight hours to reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome