Medicines for Staphylococcal infections

What it is

Staphylococcal ("staph") infections are infections caused by staphylococcus bacteria. These bacteria are very common and are often carried harmlessly on the skin and in the nose of many healthy people without causing any problems. However, if they get into the body — for example through a break in the skin — they can cause infection. Most staph infections are relatively minor and affect the skin, causing conditions such as boils, abscesses, impetigo, infected wounds or cuts, styes, and cellulitis (a spreading skin infection); these are common and usually treatable. Less commonly, staph bacteria can cause more serious infections, particularly if they get deeper into the body or into the bloodstream — for example infections of the blood (bloodstream infection/sepsis), bones (osteomyelitis), joints (septic arthritis), lungs (pneumonia), the heart, or other areas, and certain toxin-related illnesses (such as some cases of food poisoning, or toxic shock syndrome). The symptoms depend on the type and site of infection: skin infections typically cause redness, swelling, warmth, pain, and sometimes pus; more serious infections cause symptoms relating to the affected area, often with fever and feeling unwell. Most staph infections can be treated effectively, usually with antibiotics (and, for abscesses, drainage); however, some staph bacteria have become resistant to certain antibiotics — the best known being MRSA (meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) — which can be harder to treat and needs specific antibiotics. Good hygiene — particularly hand washing, and keeping cuts and wounds clean and covered — helps prevent staph infections and their spread. The key messages are that staph infections are common and usually cause minor, treatable skin infections, that they can occasionally cause more serious illness needing prompt treatment, and that good hygiene reduces spread.

How it is treated

Staphylococcal infections are managed according to the type and severity of infection, ranging from simple treatment of minor skin infections to urgent treatment of serious infections, and good hygiene helps prevent spread. Minor skin infections caused by staph — such as boils, small abscesses, impetigo, or infected cuts — are common and usually treatable: some minor ones settle with good wound care and hygiene, while others are treated with antibiotics (as creams for some skin infections, or tablets), and abscesses often need to be drained. Keeping the affected area clean, and covering wounds, help. More significant skin infections (such as cellulitis) or infections that are spreading, or with feeling unwell, need medical assessment and antibiotic treatment. Serious staph infections — such as those affecting the bloodstream, bones, joints, lungs, or heart, or toxin-related illnesses like toxic shock syndrome — are medical emergencies or need urgent hospital treatment, usually with antibiotics given into a vein and other treatment as needed, and prompt treatment is important. Because some staph bacteria are resistant to certain antibiotics (notably MRSA), the choice of antibiotic may be guided by tests to identify the bacteria and which antibiotics will work, particularly for more serious or resistant infections; MRSA infections need specific antibiotics. Preventing staph infections and their spread is important, especially in settings such as hospitals: good hand hygiene (washing hands well), keeping cuts, grazes, and wounds clean and covered, not sharing personal items (such as towels or razors), and good general hygiene all help; in healthcare settings, infection-control measures reduce spread. People with recurrent staph skin infections, or who carry resistant bacteria, may be given specific advice or treatment to reduce carriage. It is worth seeking medical assessment for skin infections that are spreading, not improving, or associated with feeling unwell or a fever, and urgent help for signs of a serious infection (such as high fever, feeling very unwell, or symptoms of sepsis). The reassuring messages are that most staph infections are minor skin infections that are treatable, that more serious infections are treated with antibiotics and other measures (with prompt treatment important), and that good hygiene helps prevent them and their spread.