subject: Why Do People Get Staph Infections? [print this page] A staph infection occurs when the staphylococcus bacteria go into the body thru a wound. Much of the time this bacteria is found on the skin or in the nose of very healthy people. It causes no trouble and the host isn't conscious the intruder is there. However, it'll make its entry into the body if there is a tear in the skin or some other kind of open injury.
When the bacteria cause the start of a staph infection, it may cause a lot of illnesses to develop. There are over 30 different types of staph bacteria and each one causes its own sort of disease. These illnesses have an array of severity. Some are minor and remain on the surface areas of the skin. Others can cause serious conditions such as pneumonia or meningitis. If a staph infection enters the body's blood stream it can get to the heart or urinary tract. In these cases it can potentially cause death.
Resistant strands of the staphylococcus bacteria can be one of the most difficult types of staph infection to treat. These strands resist common anti biotic treatments. It will take an aggressive type of therapy to eliminate resistant strands of staph infection.
Lots of people develop a staph infection right after a hospital stay; some even while they are still in the hospital recovering from various procedures. It's not a reflection of improper practices on the part of the hospital or staff. They generally take all the sterilization precautions they might to stop staph infection. However, staph might be waiting on the person's skin and make its entry at the point of an incision or other wound.
Precautions can be taken to help prevent the outbreak of staph infection. A daily shower and keeping clean linens available will help in its prevention; as will the frequent washing of hands. This will ensure it is as safe as possible, but in case of an injury, it is no guarantee.
Once an injury is sustained, there are some further precautionary procedures to perform. Always wash the wound well with water and soap. Then dry the location thoroughly. Apply topical anti biotic cream directly on the wound and place a bandage over it. Change the bandage many times per day to keep the affected area dry and clean. Each time the bandage is replaced, also reapply the antibiotic ointment. This will help keep the area neat and free from infection.
