Bacteria are single-celled organisms that exist in the millions in the environment. There are good and bad bacteria, and many species even live in the human digestive system.
If the gut ecosystem favours a balance of good bacteria over bad microorganisms, then this helps to control the number of disease-causing bugs and prevents sickness from developing.
Although bacteria serve a purpose and benefit plants, animals, and humans, many can cause illness and even death, especially if they enter the bloodstream, are breathed into the lungs, or even ingested.
Staphylococcus bacteria is an organism that can infect the skin, leading to painful sores and other symptoms such as skin blisters. If this species of bacteria enters the bloodstream, it could possibly lead to blood poisoning if not treated with antibiotics promptly.
Staph infections are quite common because the bacteria that cause them to live naturally on the human body in areas such as the nostrils, buttocks, and armpits. Here they are harmless, but if they enter an open wound, then this can lead to disease and infection.
However, staph bacteria can also commonly cause skin irritations, sores, and boils to develop on the surface of the skin too, and this can also lead to a skin breach allowing the bacteria to enter the bloodstream and soft tissue.
For the most part, staph skin infections, although seen frequently, are usually mild and can be treated with antibiotic creams if the infection remains on the skin. Most common staph infections of the skin are no worse than boils or spots and therefore do not need any medical intervention at all.
There are over 30 strains of staphylococcus bacteria, and the one that causes the most problems in humans is Staphylococcus aureus. This strain is contagious and can be spread with close skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual.
Towels can also be a source of easy staph infection spreading if shared between members of the same household, especially if an individual has an active staph skin infection whilst towel sharing is taking place. Sharing razors and bed linen can also help spread staph bacteria from person to person.
Staph is most commonly spread by hand contamination. Hands carrying this bacteria strain can transfer it to other people’s skin in close contact. Touching and infecting surfaces such as taps and towels can also help spread this bacteria, as can poor hygiene when preparing food.
This is why hand washing with a general antibacterial is important, and if there is a staph infection present, covering the infected area with a medical dressing can also limit the chances of spreading staph to others.
Staph infections can develop if they manage to infect cuts on the skin. This damage to the protective surface layer can allow staphylococcal bacteria to enter the bloodstream, too, as can other wounds, such as burns.
Eating food that has been cross-contaminated with staph during the food preparation process can lead to food poisoning if a high enough number of staph is ingested.
Young women are also at risk of toxic shock syndrome. This is caused by not changing tampons regularly enough. Even though toxic shock syndrome is a medical emergency, it is also thankfully rare.
Additionally, staph infections can develop after surgery or whilst using a catheter for an extended period of time. In this case, this can lead to frequent urinary tract infections that can be hard to treat, even with repeated doses of antibiotics.