Staph infection how can you get it

If staph moves deeper into your body, it becomes dangerous and may require a longer course of treatment — or even hospitalization. Some staph bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. This is known as MRSA, which stands for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

Most MRSA infections are skin infections, but it can also cause more serious infections. The infected wound may require surgical or local drainage. Your doctor likely will prescribe a stronger antibiotic to treat it as well.

The best way to avoid it is to maintain good hygiene, Dr. Antibiotics are effective treatments for most staph infections.

There is also a type of staph called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA that is resistant to several antibiotics, although there are some that can treat it. Staph infections can affect any area of the skin and, once they enter the body through an open wound, many internal systems.

Without treatment, they can cause sepsis. Although many people carry staph bacteria on their skin or in their nose, not all of them will develop a staph infection. Infection only occurs when staph bacteria enter the skin or body through a cut, scrape, wound, or contaminated food. Staph bacteria can spread to a person through skin-to-skin contact with someone with the infection.

Therefore, the best way to avoid a staph infection is by practicing good hygiene. Proper hygiene practices are particularly important in areas where people congregate, such as public pools, schools, gyms, and residential facilities. When a doctor suspects a staph infection, they will ask the person questions about their symptoms and may take a blood test or culture of the affected skin. If they suspect staph, they will seek to begin treatment quickly to avoid further illness.

The cause of a staph infection is staph bacteria entering the body. They can enter through an open wound or when a person ingests food that has become contaminated with the bacteria. People can take steps to protect themselves against infection from staph bacteria. These include:. Doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat staph infections. Depending on the type of infection, a doctor may prescribe:. If a skin staph infection involves pus, a doctor may choose to drain it.

Bone staph infections may require surgery. A person with staph food poisoning should drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Staph bacteria can also enter the body via urinary catheters, intravenous lines, or other implanted medical devices.

The bacteria can additionally be present on tattoo needles that have not been properly cleaned and needles used to inject drugs, particularly if they are shared or reused. Some staph infections of the skin are contagious and can pass from one person to another through skin-to-skin contact.

Staph bacteria can also survive on objects or surfaces, such as bedsheets, towels, or clothing. Touching contaminated items is another way to get staph. Infections are common in group living facilities, such as college dorms or prisons, where people are in close contact with one another. Warm, humid environments are also good breeding grounds for staph.

You may have a higher risk of developing a staph infection if you have an underlying medical condition, such as:. Taking certain medicines, including corticosteroids , insulin, or chemotherapy, can increase your chance of contracting staph.

Additionally, staph infections are more common in individuals who use illegal drugs. Sometimes staph bacteria spreads through medical tubing, such as dialysis tubes, urinary catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes, or intravascular catheters. You might have a greater chance of getting staph if you use certain devices that require tubing. Playing a contact sport is another risk factor for staph. The bacteria can spread through skin-to-skin contact while playing or through touching equipment, towels, razors, or other items that are shared in the locker room.

Recent research has shown household environments play an important role in how staph infections, such as MRSA, are spread. One study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that staph is more likely spread from person to person in a residence that: 5. Hygiene habits that reduced the risk of staph spread among household members include showering instead of taking baths, brushing teeth twice daily, and practicing frequent hand-washing.

To diagnose a staph infection, your doctor will examine any skin lesions you have and possibly take a skin or tissue sample or throat or nasal swab for a lab test to identify the cause of the infection. In some cases a doctor may order certain imaging tests if a deeper or internal infection is suspected. An echocardiogram , for example, can help your provider determine if the infection has affected your heart. Be sure to include the following items:.

Any underlying medical conditions you have may also influence how quickly you heal and recover. Most superficial skin infections can be easily treated.

But if you develop a serious infection that turns into sepsis, your prognosis is much worse. Some studies, such as one published in in The American Journal of Medicine , show death rates from staph infection of the bloodstream range from 20 to 40 percent.

The healing time for a staph infection depends on your age, your overall health, the type of infection you have, and what treatment you use. For instance, a boil can take 10 to 20 days to heal without treatment, but certain medicines may speed up the process, notes Kids Health. Antibiotics are the main line of treatment for most staph infections.

The choice of antibiotic depends in part on how serious your infection is and what type of staph you have. Some minor skin infections will heal on their own with no drug treatment. Invasive staph infections usually require hospitalization for IV antibiotic treatment to fight the infection and other supportive treatment to help you heal.

Antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infections include: 3. Some people are interested in alternative therapies to treat their staph infections. Many internet claims tout applying natural substances, such as coconut oil , tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar , and essential oils, to the skin. One natural remedy that has shown promise is manuka honey. This type of honey has demonstrated antimicrobial activity and the ability to enhance the effects of some antibiotics.

Still, more research needs to be done before manuka honey can safely be used to treat staph, according to an article published in in Letters in Applied Microbiology. Staph bacteria are everywhere. Stay clean. Keeping your hands and body clean is the most important way to prevent a staph infection. Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time, and shower daily. Clean any wounds.

Clean cuts, scrapes, and other injuries thoroughly with soap and water to rinse out dirt and bacteria. Avoid sharing personal items. Change tampons frequently. If you use tampons, change them at least every four to eight hours to avoid developing toxic shock syndrome.

Keeping tampons in for extended periods creates an environment that can cause bacteria to grow. Wash clothing and linens in hot water.

If you or someone in your household has a staph infection, wash your clothes, towels, and bedding in hot water, using bleach, if possible. Dry the laundry in the dryer, making sure it is completely dry before you remove it. People with skin problems like burns or eczema may be more likely to get staph skin infections.

Treat a stye by using warm compresses over the eye with the eye closed three or four times a day. Always use a clean washcloth each time. Occasionally, a stye will need a topical antibiotic. Teens who get a staph infection on skin areas that are normally shaved should stop shaving until the infection clears up. If they do have to shave the area, they should use a clean disposable razor or clean the electric razor after each use. Your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic for a staph skin infection.

Give it on schedule for as many days as directed. More serious staph infections might need to be treated in a hospital, and an abscess or pocket of pus that doesn't respond to home care might need to be drained. How long it takes for a staph skin infection to heal depends on the type of infection and whether it's treated.

A boil, for example, may take 10 to 20 days to heal without treatment, but treatment may speed up the healing process. Most styes go away on their own within several days. Reviewed by: Cynthia C. Roque, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.

What Is a Staph Infection? In folliculitis, tiny white-headed pimples appear at the base of hair shafts, sometimes with a small red area around each pimple. This happens often where people shave or have irritated skin from rubbing against clothing. A furuncle fyoor-UNK-ul , commonly known as a boil : These swollen, red, painful lumps in the skin usually are due to an infected hair follicle.