Staph infection should i see doctor

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA strains are challenging to treat and may need IV antibiotics and require hospitalization. Each case of staph infection is different, but most often staph will resolve in weeks. Staph Infection. What is staph infection? Skin Abscess Boil. Causes of staph infection Staph infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which can live in your body for quite some time without causing harm.

Risk factors for staph infection Anyone can develop a staph infection. People at higher risk for developing staph include: Children in daycare — children can transfer infections between each other, children in daycare are exposed to more germs and have lower immunity built up to fight the infections. People with lowered immune systems — if you have cancer, diabetes or other chronic conditions that lower your immune system, you are at higher risk for developing a staph infection.

People who frequent communal environments — locker rooms and shared bathrooms increase the risk of coming into contact with staph bacteria. Athletes — athletes who participate in sports with skin-to-skin contact wrestling, basketball or football are more at risk for developing a staph infection.

Healthcare workers or healthcare patients — people who work in a healthcare environment or patients receiving care in a hospital or other facility are at greater risk of developing staph and complications from the infection.

This could be an infection called cellulitis. This could be impetigo, which often affects the face. A red, swollen eyelid could be a stye. Information: Staph bacteria can also cause more serious infections, like blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. Non-urgent advice: See a GP if you think you have a staph skin infection and:. It lives on surfaces and on the ground. You might also carry it on your skin and in your nose.

So how does it go from harmless companion to troublesome foe? Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. But when staph enters your body through a nick or cut in your skin, it may result in an infection. The variety of injuries and organisms responsible for these infections presents a diagnostic challenge, but internists can save many of their patients the time and expense of a visit to the emergency department ED by screening for severity.

Conditions like necrotizing fasciitis can be fatal without immediate treatment, and waiting for an office visit could prove lethal. According to Lawrence J. Likewise, internists should err on the side of caution when speaking with patients who are immunocompromised, such as those who are undergoing chemotherapy, have had a transplant, or have HIV, said Thomas Rebbecchi, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine at Cooper Medical Center in Camden, N. Internists who see patients for potential SSTIs should begin by taking a thorough history of the symptoms and any events that preceded them, said Dennis L.

Did it develop on its own or was there some complicating situation like a recent surgical procedure, an animal bite, recent trauma, wading in the Gulf of Mexico, exposure to fresh water, or travel and injury abroad?

The answers to these questions will help pinpoint the culprit, he added. For example, cat and dog bites are associated with infection by Pasteurella multocida. Dog bites also carry the risk of infection with Capnocytophaga canimorsus.

Exposure to seawater could suggest Vibrio vulnificus or Mycobacterium marinum. The patient's overall health is another concern, as some conditions may mask infection, Dr. Stevens said.

A significant body of research indicates that certain conditions raise the risk of infection by particular organisms. A review by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and Toronto General Hospital noted that diabetes is associated with anaerobes, gram-negative bacilli, Staphylococcus aureus, and group B streptococci; cirrhosis is associated with higher risk of Campylobacter fetus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, C.

Stevens also pointed out that subcutaneous injection of black tar heroin has also been associated with a variety of Clostridium infections, including those caused by C. The review also noted research indicating that patients who abuse intravenous drugs are at greater risk for MRSA and infection with P. Finally, the review said, keep in mind that some conditions have symptoms that may mimic those of SSTIs, including gout, thrombophlebitis, deep venous thrombosis, contact dermatitis, carcinoma erysipeloides and allergic reactions.

After a thorough history, the next step is the physical examination.