#LIGHTSMITH STAPH SKIN#

Your doctor might take a sample from the infected area and send it to a lab. A blood culture can also determine whether the infection is in your blood. A high WBC count is a sign that your body might be fighting an infection. A blood test can identify a high white blood cell (WBC) count. Your doctor might run additional tests to confirm a suspected staph infection. Your doctor might ask you questions to try to determine whether you were exposed to staph bacteria.

#LIGHTSMITH STAPH SKIN#

If your doctor suspects a staph infection, they’ll ask you questions about your symptoms and examine your skin for wounds or other signs of an infection. Staph can be transferred from skin to food if people handling food don’t properly wash their hands. This tends to occur in locker rooms or shared housing. Sharing certain items can increase your risk for a staph infection. This may occur among people who live or work in close quarters or play contact sports. Staph bacteria can enter the body through an open wound. People who use injection drugs, such as insulin, also have an increased risk.

conditions that affect the skin, such as eczema.

People with a weakened immune system or chronic condition

tubes for kidney dialysis, breathing, or feeding.

Staph bacteria can enter your system via medical devices that enter the body, such as: Staph bacteria remain common in places where people with compromised immune systems may come into contact with people or surfaces carrying the bacteria. The following can increase your chances of developing an MSSA infection: A current or recent stay in a healthcare facility MSSA infections can affect children, adults, and older adults. They can live on surfaces like doorknobs or bedding long enough for a person to develop an infection. In addition, staph bacteria are resilient. Staph is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, most often from touching something that contains the bacteria and then spreading it to your hands. In healthcare settings, staph is especially dangerous, as it can easily transmit from person to person. Staph infections can cause life threatening complications. Staph infections can even heal on their own.Ī staph infection becomes serious if the infection is also present in the bloodstream, usually from an advanced and untreated infection. In other cases, staph causes minor and easily treatable skin, nose, mouth, and throat infections. It’s possible to have it without showing any symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 30 percent of people have staph bacteria in their noses.

Staph bacteria are commonly found on the surface of the skin, such as the inside of the nose.

Lightsmith staph