Staphylococcus aureus is common and will only cause an infection when it can enter through a wound or open skin. Thoroughly washing your hands and avoiding skin-to-skin contact can prevent staph infections. Antibiotics are usually needed to treat staph infections. The full course of antibiotics should be completed.
1. What is Staphylococcus?
Staphylococcus (referred to as staph) is a group of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Although there are 40 types, the most common one is staphylococcus aureus.
Staph generally causes no problems or illness. However, if the bacteria enters the body through a wound, cut or graze, or open skin (e.g. broken skin caused by eczema), it may cause an infection. Staph is one of the most common causes of skin infections and can cause serious wound infections.
2. Signs and symptoms of staph infection
If your child has a staph infection of an existing or new wound, they may have:
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swelling around the wound
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a wound that fails to completely heal
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a fever
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redness and heat around the wound
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yellow-colored crusting (scabs) and weeping.
If your child has eczema, an affected area of skin may become infected with staph.
Staph can cause other kinds of illnesses including bone infections, impetigo (school sores), pneumonia and bloodstream infections.
Scalded skin syndrome is caused by staph and is usually seen in children under the age of two years. It can start with a lesion (sore) around the nose or mouth, which then quickly develops into a bright red area. When touched, the affected skin may peel off in sheets; antibiotic therapy is needed.
3. What causes staph infections?
Staph is found on the skin and in the nose of 30–50 percent of people without causing disease. It will only cause an infection when it can enter through a wound or open skin. A staph infection normally only develops in the elderly, the very sick or those who have an open wound. Healthy people rarely become infected.
Staph can only be spread by skin-to-skin contact. You cannot catch it just by being in the same room as an infected person. Good hand hygiene can prevent the spread of staph.
4. Treatment for staph infections
If you think your child has a staph infection, take them to a GP, who will most likely prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection if it appears to be caused by the staph bacteria. If your child is unwell, they may be admitted to the hospital for the antibiotics to be administered through a drip into a vein (intravenous or IV therapy).
Recovery time will depend on the general overall health of your child. If your child has a poor immune system, then a staph infection can be quite serious. Children with lowered immunity or a serious infection would need to be admitted to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics.
If your child has recurrent staph infections, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic cream (e.g. Bactroban). This should be applied under your child's fingernails and around their nostrils to help get rid of the staph bacteria and reduce the chance of your child being reinfected.