Symptoms of Staphylococcal infections and prevention

Staphylococcal infections are infections caused by gram-positive bacteria Staphyloccus.


CAUSE
Staphylococcus gram-positive bacteria normally found in the nose and skin in 20-30% of adults. Can also be found in the mouth, mammary glands, urinary and genital tract, gastrointestinal tract and upper respiratory tract. Staphylococcal mostly harmless, but the wound in the skin or other injury can cause bacteria to invade the human body's defenses and cause infection.

People who tend to have staphylococcal infection are people who tend to have staphylococcal infection are:
- Newborns
- Breast-feeding mothers
- People with chronic diseases (especially lung disease, diabetes and cancer)
- People with skin disorders and surgical wound
- Patients who received corticosteroid therapy, radiation, immunosuppressive drugs or anti-cancer drugs.


SYMPTOMS
The symptoms that arise depend on the location of the infection. Infection may be mild or even can be fatal. Staphylococcal infection usually causes the formation of a pus-filled sacs, ie abscesses and boils (furuncles & karbunkel). Staphylococcus can be spread through blood vessels and cause abscesses in internal organs (such as the lungs), bone (osteomyelitis) and the inner lining of the heart and the valve (endocarditis).

Staphylococcal tends to infect the skin. The abscess on the skin in the form of pus-filled sac that feels warm under the skin surface. Abscesses typically rupture and pus will flow over the skin, which if not cleaned will lead to further infection.

Staphylococci can also cause cellulitis (an infection under the skin). Usually boils also occurred due to staphylococci. Two kinds of staphylococcal skin infections that are serious enough Nekrolitik skin syndrome and toxic epidermal burn (scalded skin syndrome), which can cause widespread exfoliation.

Newborns usually staphylococcal skin infections within 6 weeks after birth. The most common symptom is a skin like a pus-filled blisters on the arm folds, genitals and folds of the neck. Staphylococcal infection which can cause much more severe abscesses, extensive exfoliation, blood infection, infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and pneumonia.

Breastfeeding mothers may experience breast by a staphylococcal infection (mastitis) and abscesses within 1-4 weeks after delivery. Some of these infections are often transmitted from babies to the mother during breastfeeding.

The most severe infection is pneumonia, which is a risk for patients with chronic lung disease (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) and influenza. Often causes a high fever and symptoms of severe lung such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing and a cough productive of sputum may be bloody. In newborns and sometimes in adults as well, peumonia Staphylococcus can cause lung abscess and infection of the pleura (lining around the lungs). Infection is called empyema piston, which aggravate respiratory problems.

Although a staphylococcal infection in the blood (staphylococcal bacteremia) frequently occurs due to infection elsewhere, but usually occur as a result of usage intravenous devices such as catheters. Staphylococcal bacteremia is often the cause of death in patients with severe burns. Typical characteristic is the bacteremia is the heat that arises is persistently and sometimes shock.

Presence of Staphylococcal in the bloodstream can cause infection in the lining of the heart and the valve (endocarditis), especially in injecting drug users. Infection with the immediate cause damage to the valve, resulting in heart failure and death.

Bone infections (osteomyelitis) primarily affects children, although also attack older people, especially those who suffer from skin ulcers in (bedsores, bedsore). Symptoms include fever, chills and bone pain. Swelling and redness will appear above the affected bone and the joints around the infected area will form a liquid. Sometimes radiation examination and other radiological examinations can show areas affected by the infection, but is generally not helpful in early diagnosis.

A staphylococcal infection of the intestine frequently causes fever, abdominal bloating and distension, abnormal contractile movement of the intestine is suspended (ileus), and diarrhea. Patients which often occurs in hospitalized, especially after surgery or antibiotic treatment.

Surgery increases the risk of staphylococcal infection that could lead to the formation of abscesses in the wound sutures or causes damage to the incision wound. Some infections develop several days to several weeks after surgery but may occur more slowly in people who received antibiotic therapy after surgery. This infection can deteriorate and progress to toxic shock syndrome.


TREATMENT
For most skin infections, oral antibiotics are given enough like cloxacillin, and erythromycin dikloksasilin. For more severe infections, especially infections of blood, intravenous antibiotics are needed, even for 6 weeks.

The selection of antibiotics depends on the areas affected by the infection, the severity of symptoms and effective antibiotic which kills certain bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin, are also resistant to almost all antibiotics commonly used and require special attention because these bacteria are found in large cities and hospitals. Effective antibiotics are vancomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Vancomycin will kill the bacteria, whereas for most skin infections, oral antibiotics are given enough like cloxacillin, and erythromycin dikloksasilin.
For more severe infections, especially infections of blood, intravenous antibiotics are needed, even for 6 weeks.

The selection of antibiotics depends on the areas affected by the infection, the severity of symptoms and effective antibiotic which kills certain bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin, are also resistant to almost all antibiotics commonly used and require special attention because these bacteria are found in large cities and hospitals. Effective antibiotics are vancomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole to prevent the ability of bacteria to breed.

An abscess that arise should be drained (contents removed, dried). Drainage of the skin is relatively simple, namely by making a small incision and then pressed so that the liquid out. As for a deeper abscess may need surgery.