Symptoms of staphylococcus aureus and how is the treatment

Staphylococcus aureus, or S. aureus, is a gram-positive bacterium normally present on people's skin and mucosa, especially their mouth and nose, without causing damage to the body. However, when the immune system is compromised or when there is a wound, this bacteria can proliferate and reach the bloodstream, causing sepsis, which corresponds to generalized infection, which can lead to death.

This species of staphylococcus is also very common in hospital environments, so it is important to avoid contact with critical patients in the hospital and keep your hands very clean to avoid contact with this bacterium, as the Staphylococcus aureus present in hospitals generally has resistance to several antibiotics, which makes treatment difficult.

Infection with S. aureus can vary from a simpler infection, such as folliculitis, for example, to endocarditis, which is a more serious infection characterized by the presence of the bacteria in the heart. Thus, symptoms can range from redness of the skin, to muscle pain and bleeding.

Main symptoms

The symptoms of S. aureus infection depend on the form of contagion, the location of the bacterium and the patient's condition, which may be:

Pain, redness and swelling of the skin, when the bacteria proliferates on the skin, leading to the formation of abscesses and blisters; High fever, muscle pain, shortness of breath and severe headache, when the bacteria manages to enter the bloodstream, usually due to any skin lesion or wound, which can spread to various organs; nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, which can arise when the bacteria enters the body through contaminated food.

Because it can be found naturally in the body, especially in the mouth and nose, this bacteria can be transmitted through direct contact, droplets present in the air through coughing and sneezing and through contaminated objects or food.

In addition, the bacteria can reach the bloodstream through injuries or needles, which is the most frequent form of infection in people who use injecting drugs or diabetic people who use insulin.

Depending on the intensity of the symptoms of the infection, it may be necessary for the person to be hospitalized and, sometimes, in isolation until the infection is treated.

Diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus can cause mild and simple to treat infections or more serious infections, the main ones being:

Folliculitis, which is characterized by the presence of small pus blisters and redness on the skin caused by the proliferation of bacteria in the area; Infectious cellulitis, in which S. aureus is able to penetrate the deepest layer of the skin, causing pain, swelling and intense redness of the skin; Septicemia, or septic shock, corresponds to a generalized infection characterized by the presence of the bacteria in the bloodstream, which can reach several organs. Understand what septic shock is; Endocarditis, which is a disease that affects the heart valves due to the presence of bacteria in the heart. Learn more about bacterial endocarditis; Osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone caused by bacteria and which can happen through direct contamination of the bone through a deep cut, fracture or implant of a prosthesis, for example; Pneumonia, which is a respiratory disease that leads to difficulty in breathing and can be caused by the involvement of the lung by bacteria; Toxic shock syndrome or scalded skin syndrome, which is a skin disease caused by the production of toxins by Staphylococcus aureus, causing the skin to peel;

People who have a compromised immune system due to cancer, autoimmune or infectious diseases, have suffered burns or wounds or have undergone surgical procedures are more likely to develop Staphylococcus aureus infections.

For this reason, it is important to wash your hands well and take appropriate precautions in hospital environments to avoid infections by this bacterium, in addition to consuming foods that strengthen the immune system. Understand the importance of washing your hands to prevent illness.

How the diagnosis is made

The diagnosis is made from the isolation of the bacteria, which is made 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 the isolation of the bacteria, the antibiogram is performed to check the sensitivity profile of the microorganism and which is the best antibiotic to treat the infection. Know what the antibiogram is and how to understand the result.

Treatment for S. aureus

The treatment for S. aureus is usually defined by the doctor according to the type of infection and symptoms of the patient. In addition, it should be considered whether there are other associated infections, being evaluated by the doctor which infection poses the greatest risk to the patient and which should be treated more quickly.

From the result of the antibiogram, the doctor can indicate which antibiotic will have the most effect against the bacteria, and the treatment is usually done with methicillin or oxacillin for 7 to 10 days.

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus , also known as MRSA, is very common mainly in hospitals, making this bacterium one of the main responsible for nosocomial infections.

Methicillin is an antibiotic manufactured with the objective of combating bacteria producing 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 found in hospitals, have developed resistance to methicillin, not responding to treatment with this antibiotic.

Thus, to treat infections caused by MRSA, glycopeptides, such as vancomycin, teicoplanin or linezolid, are usually used for 7 to 10 days or according to medical advice.