How long is a staph infection contagious?
How long is the contagious period for a staph infection? Most staph skin infections are cured with antibiotics; with antibiotic treatment, many skin infections are no longer contagious after about 24-48 hours of appropriate therapy. Some skin infections, such as those due to MRSA, may require longer treatment.
Is a staph infection contagious by touch?
Touching skin-to-skin can spread staph from one person to another. Staph can be picked up from surfaces that are often touched, like phones or doorknobs. Sometimes shared personal items, like towels, soap, or sports equipment can spread staph. Pus from an abscess is especially contagious on skin or surfaces.
Can staph infection spread to other parts of the body?
If a staph infection involves the deeper layers of skin and soft tissues, such as muscles and fat, it can enter the bloodstream and spread to the bones, joints, and organs, causing more serious damage. Staph can release toxins that can cause blood poisoning, which may be life threatening.
What happens if a staph infection is left untreated?
If left untreated, staph infection can be deadly. Rarely, staph infection are resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat them. This infection, called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), cause severe infection and death.
Can staph infection kill you?
The correct spelling is Staph for Staph infections. Yes, they can kill you but they do not HAVE to kill you. They can be fatal if they are: 2) in a person with a very poor immune system such as someone with HIV/AIDS or someone on medications that supress the immune system, such as cancer patients.
How deadly can a staph infection be?
Most of the time, these bacteria cause no problems or result in relatively minor skin infections. But staph infections can turn deadly if the bacteria invade deeper into your body, entering your bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs or heart. A growing number of otherwise healthy people are developing life-threatening staph infections.
What is the cure for staph infection?
Most staph infections are treatable with penicillin. But many cases have resistance against antibiotics and their treatment becomes difficult. Vancomycin is used to treat serious staph infections. In the case of skin infection, the doctor will drain fluids from the wounds.
How do I prevent getting staph and other infections?
How to Prevent Staph Infection – Preventing Staph Infections Wash your hands. Refrain from sharing personal care items. Avoid infected objects. Keep your wounds covered. Protect yourself from infected people. ( more items )