Symptoms of S. aureus infection depend on the form of infection, the location of the bacteria, and the patient's condition, which may be:
- pain, redness and swelling of the skin, when bacteria multiply on the skin, resulting in the formation of abscesses and blisters;
- high fever, muscle aches, shortness of breath, and severe headache, when bacteria can enter the bloodstream, usually due to some skin lesion or injury, and can spread to multiple organs;
- Nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, which can appear when bacteria enter the body through contaminated food.
Because they can be found naturally in the body, especially in the mouth and nose, these bacteria can be transmitted through direct contact, droplets in the air through coughs and sneezes and through contaminated objects or food.
In addition, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream through injuries or needles, which is the most common form of infection in people who inject drugs or diabetics who use insulin.
Depending on the severity of the infection's symptoms, it may be necessary for the person to be hospitalized and, sometimes, in isolation until the infection is treated.
Diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus
And Staphylococcus aureus can cause minor infections, simple to treat or more serious infections, the most important of which are:
- folliculitis, which is characterized by small blisters with pus and redness on the skin caused by bacteria multiplying in the area;
- infectious cellulitis, in which Staphylococcus aureus can penetrate into the deepest layer of the skin, causing pain, swelling and severe redness of the skin;
- Septicemia, or septic shock, corresponds to a generalized infection characterized by the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream, which can reach multiple organs. Understand what septic shock is.
- Endocarditis, a disease of the heart valves caused by the presence of bacteria in the heart. Learn more about bacterial endocarditis.
- osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone caused by bacteria and can occur through direct contamination of the bone through a deep cut, fracture or implantation of a prosthesis, for example;
- pneumonia, a respiratory disease that causes difficulty breathing and can be caused by bacteria infecting the lungs;
- toxic shock syndrome or scalded skin syndrome, which is a skin disease caused by the production of toxins by Staphylococcus aureus, which leads to desquamation of the skin;
People who have a weakened immune system due to cancer, autoimmune diseases, or infectious diseases, or who have suffered burns, cuts, or undergone surgeries, are more likely to get a S. aureus infection .
For this reason, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly and take appropriate precautions in hospital environments to avoid infection with these bacteria, in addition to eating foods that strengthen the immune system. Understand the importance of washing your hands to prevent disease.
How is the diagnosis made?
The diagnosis is made by isolating the bacteria, which is carried out in a microbiology laboratory from a biological sample, which is requested by the doctor according to the person's symptoms, which may be urine, blood, saliva, or wound secretion.
After isolating the bacteria, an antibiotic is used to check the susceptibility profile of the microorganism, which is considered the best antibiotic to treat the infection. Learn about the antibiotic and how to understand the outcome.
S. aureus treatment
Treatment for S. aureus is usually determined by the doctor according to the type of infection and the patient's symptoms. In addition, consideration should be given to whether there are other associated infections, and it is evaluated by the physician which infection poses the greatest risk to the patient and which must be treated more quickly.
From the result of the antibiotic examination, the doctor can determine which antibiotic will have the greatest effect against bacteria. Treatment is usually with methicillin or oxacillin for 7 to 10 days.
Methicillin - resistant Staphylococcus aureus
The methicillin -resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, is very common especially in hospitals, making this one of the main bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections.
Methicillin is an antibiotic that is manufactured with the goal of combating bacteria that produce beta-lactamases, which are enzymes produced by some bacteria, including S. aureus , as a defense mechanism against a certain class of antibiotics. However, some strains of Staphylococcus aureus , especially those in hospitals, have developed resistance to methicillin, and do not respond to treatment with this antibiotic.
Thus, to treat infections caused by MRSA bacteria, glycopeptides, such as vancomycin, teicoplanin or linezolid, are usually used for 7 to 10 days or according to medical advice.