Staphylococcus symptoms and treatment methods. Staphylococcus. Symptoms, causes, types, tests and treatment of staphylococcal infection Staphylococci do not cause

Microbiologists count more than twenty species of staphylococci. Some of them are representatives of the natural human flora, while others can cause the development of diseases. So what types of staphylococcus pose a danger to humans and what to do if this microorganism is detected in the laboratory?

Types of staphylococcus

Staphylococcus belongs to cocci - spherical bacteria. From Greek “staphylo” is translated as grape. This name for the microorganism was not chosen by chance. The thing is that bacteria are grouped together, in a microscope it looks like bunches of grapes.

People become familiar with staphylococcus already in infancy. So, literally from the first days of life, this microorganism begins to actively colonize the skin, mucous membranes, and intestines. Staphylococcus is usually classified as opportunistic microorganisms, that is, those with which a person is able to coexist peacefully, but which under certain circumstances can cause diseases.

In humans, the development of diseases is caused by the following types of bacteria:

- the most pathogenic for humans, capable of causing the development of purulent-inflammatory processes in almost all organs;
Staphylococcus epidermidis - located on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes, can cause the development of endocarditis, purulent infection, and urinary tract infection;
Saprophytic staphylococcus - is located on the surface of the external genitalia, the mucous membrane of the urethra, and can cause the development of and;
Hemolytic staphylococcus - causes sepsis, endocarditis, urinary tract infections, skin lesions.

Causes of staphylococcal infection

Staphylococcal diseases develop when the bacterium enters the body (into the blood, respiratory tract, digestive organs).

The following transmission mechanisms are distinguished:

Contact and household (upon contact with household items contaminated with staphylococci);
Airborne aerosol (when inhaling air released from a sick person or a bacteria carrier during sneezing);
Nutritional mechanism (when eating food contaminated with staphylococcus);
Artificial mechanism (through contaminated medical instruments during diagnostic procedures and operations).

In order for opportunistic staphylococcus to have a pathogenic effect, certain conditions are necessary, for example, a decrease in blood levels, chronic debilitating diseases, hypovitaminosis, etc. It is known that staphylococcal infection often develops against the background of previous infections.

Diseases caused by staphylococcus

The state of the body’s immune system and the characteristics of the bacterium itself determine what outcome staphylococcus will lead to. So, if the bacterium enters through damage to the skin and the protective mechanisms manage to localize the process, it means that the disease is limited to local purulent inflammation. If the immune system fails to cope, the microorganism migrates from the source through the bloodstream and can enter any organ with the development of an inflammatory process in it.

Staphylococcus can cause a large number of diseases. Most often it leads to the development of:

Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (staphyloderma, abscesses,);
Burn-like skin syndrome;
Respiratory organ damage;
Lesions of the urinary organs;
, brain abscess;
Endocarditis;
Staphylococcal;
Toxic shock syndrome;
Damage to bones and joints (osteomyelitis, arthritis);
Food poisoning;
Sepsis.

Respiratory damage

In the population, a large percentage of people are carriers of staphylococcus. The bacteria's favorite places are the mucous membranes of the nose and pharynx.. If local immunity decreases, and develop, depending on the location of the bacterium. Healthy people can also get staphylococcal rhinitis or pharyngitis by communicating with sick people or bacteria carriers.

Rhinitis is supported by difficulty in nasal breathing, changes in voice timbre, and the appearance of. When staphylococcus gets into the paranasal sinuses, it develops. With sinusitis, the secretion from the nose becomes yellow-green and thick. A person may be bothered by diffuse or localized symptoms on the side of the affected sinus. With pharyngitis, there are complaints of a sore throat, pain when swallowing, and also.

Getting staphylococcus into the lungs is especially dangerous.. Among all cases of pneumonia, 10% are staphylococcal. They may be primary, but still more often develop against the background of viral infections. It is worth noting that Staphylococcus aureus rarely causes community-acquired pneumonia, but often nosocomial pneumonia. The development of pneumonia is indicated by severe weakness, high fever, chest pain, cough with purulent sputum, and cyanosis. Staphylococcal pneumonia is characterized by a more severe course, as well as a tendency to purulent complications: abscess, empyema.

Skin lesions

Staphylococcal skin lesions can be localized in the form of staphyloderma or widespread. Staphyloderma called a purulent skin lesion that occurs in response to the introduction of staphylococcus. Staphyloderma includes:

Folliculitis - inflammation at the mouth of the hair follicle, accompanied by the formation of a pustule (abscess);
- inflammation of the hair follicle, as well as the surrounding connective tissue with the formation of a painful pustule;
Carbuncle - inflammation of a group of hair follicles, as well as the surrounding connective tissue;
Hidradenitis - a purulent-inflammatory process located in the sweat glands with the formation of a painful infiltrate.

Widespread skin damage manifests itself in the form of staphylococcal burn-like syndrome (). Most often, newborns and children under five years of age are affected; adults rarely get sick. The disease in newborns begins suddenly with redness of the skin, the appearance of conflicts, cracks, followed by peeling. In place of large blisters that open, burgundy skin is exposed, reminiscent of burnt skin.

Toxic shock syndrome

This syndrome was first discussed at the end of the twentieth century, when outbreaks of the disease were recorded among young women during menstruation, in whom Staphylococcus aureus was laboratory detected in the vagina and cervix. The occurrence of this syndrome was provoked by the use of hyperabsorbent tampons. When such a tampon is kept in the vagina for a long time, optimal conditions are created for the proliferation of staphylococcus and the synthesis of its toxin. With the cessation of sales of such tampons in the United States, the number of patients with this disease has noticeably decreased.

The main manifestations of toxic shock syndrome are:

The infection can cause shock and liver failure.

Toxic shock syndrome, although rare, still occurs today. Therefore, women who develop a fever or rash should immediately remove the tampon and consult a doctor.

Sepsis

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This is the most severe and dangerous manifestation of staphylococcal infection. Most often observed in newborns and premature infants. Primary foci can be a variety of local staphylococcal diseases: mastitis, omphalitis in newborns (inflammation of the navel). The disease is characterized by significant daily fluctuations in body temperature from 37 to 40 degrees, chills, hemorrhagic rash, pale skin, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and low blood pressure. At the same time, metastatic foci of infection appear in various organs: meningitis, brain abscess, etc. Sepsis is a dangerous condition and requires active treatment.

Staphylococcal endocarditis

Staphylococcus is the second most common cause of endocarditis. The disease often develops in elderly and weakened people. Endocarditis develops acutely with a strong rise in body temperature. During the examination, it is possible to establish progressive valve insufficiency, as well as heart murmurs. Myocardial and valve ring abscesses may form. The disease is often accompanied by pulmonary infarction. People with valve prostheses are also susceptible to staphylococcal endocarditis. Infection with staphylococcus (mostly epidermal) often occurs during the operation to install a valve prosthesis, but clinical symptoms can appear a year later.

Food poisoning

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The disease develops when eating food contaminated with staphylococcus. The bacterium actively multiplies in confectionery creams, salads, and meat products. The microorganism gets into food products as a result of the use of contaminated kitchen utensils, equipment, and also from the contaminated hands of the cook. From the pustules on the cook's hands, staphylococcus gets into the food, where it actively multiplies and subsequently becomes the cause of foodborne toxic infection.

The incubation period is short. A few hours after consuming the contaminated product, a person suddenly experiences repeated vomiting, weakness, severe epigastric pain, and may develop diarrhea. The disease usually ends after a couple of days with complete recovery.

Principles of treatment

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When a laboratory detects staphylococcus in the body, a person immediately begins to sound the alarm, how to treat it, what to do? Detection of a bacterium without accompanying symptoms of the disease is not a reason to prescribe.

For mild forms of localized staphylococcal disease, symptomatic treatment is usually sufficient. For moderate and severe forms, antibiotics are used (penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, aminoglycosides), as well as specific antistaphylococcal drugs.

Staphylococcus can remain in the blood for a long time and primary symptoms may be absent. What is the rate of spread of Staphylococcus aureus? What symptoms can be identified? What treatments can be used? The answers to these questions can be found below.

Staphylococcus is a bacterium that has a spherical or spherical shape. Moreover, it belongs to the immobile species. For the human body, staphylococcus can be considered an opportunistic bacterium that can live in the body itself. It is possible to identify a pathogenic species of these bacteria, which, after entering the body, causes diseases of varying severity.

The bacterium itself poses no actual danger to children, but in the presence of certain factors it can become more active and cause a severe inflammatory process in almost any organ. Children are most susceptible to this disease because they only adapt to the environment. Staphylococcus can infect the skin, nerve and brain tissues and their membranes, heart muscle, gastrointestinal tract, etc.

The presented formation has a wide variety of strains. Among them are: golden, saprophytic, hemolytic and others. Each strain is different and at the same time has its own degree of aggressiveness and activity.

Symptoms of the disease will directly depend on which organ or organ system was affected. The degree of manifestation will be influenced by the overall level of the body's immune defense.

But in order to examine the clinical picture of the disease in detail, it is necessary to demonstrate general symptoms:

Increase in general body temperature. Such a local change may be caused by the body trying to fight against the pathogenic bacterium and at the same time prevent it from multiplying. This type of protection is called the bacteriostatic effect.
Diagnosis of hyperemia, which begins to form due to a rush of blood to the inflamed area. In this case, the vascular system begins to expand and the potential outflow of blood decreases sharply. This is also a manifestation of the body's protective function. In a similar way, the body tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen and neutralize the incoming effect.
General tissue swelling, which increases due to increased vascular permeability.
Pain syndrome caused by pinching of edematous tissues. In this case, damage to the entire vessel may occur due to an excess of incoming blood. This process can cause even more pain in the future.
Violation of the general functionality of organs and organ systems. They begin to gradually collapse.

In addition, it is better not to use the presented symptoms to diagnose the childhood form of the disease. This is because infectious causes may differ depending on the age group. This information is most relevant for parents of newborn children. It is necessary to highlight some of the main diseases that are caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

Pyoderma is a disease in which a pathogenic bacterium begins to penetrate the skin and, as a result, inflammatory processes begin to occur, most often with the formation of pus. Among the most common manifestations of this disease are folliculitis, hidradenitis, carbuncle, and furuncle. It should also be noted that the location cannot characterize the entire problem. The patient may experience hyperemia not only of the inflamed lesion, but also of adjacent tissues. In some cases, doctors diagnosed fever, nausea and vomiting.

Rhinitis is a disease characterized by an inflammatory process occurring in the nasal mucosa. Staphylococcus can lead to profuse excretory processes, which can subsequently lead to difficulty breathing. In such an environment you can find Staphylococcus aureus. In this case, the patient can be either a temporary or permanent carrier of the bacterium. In most cases, doctors can identify individual symptoms:

problems with breathing;
inability to remove mucus;
change in voice timbre;
mouth breathing.

When treating an infection, emphasis should be placed on suppressing the pathogen itself. In addition, we must try to restore the original state of the body. At the current time, surgical techniques remain the most effective treatment method to combat infectious foci. Symptoms allow you to quickly establish the clinical picture and provide proper treatment. The use of antibiotics must be strictly justified and should be prescribed by the attending physician after undergoing the necessary diagnostics.

Under no circumstances should you engage in self-medication or self-diagnosis. A timely diagnosis will speed up the healing process. Be healthy!

Causes of staphylococcus

The cause of the development of almost all staphylococcal diseases is a violation of the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes, as well as the consumption of contaminated food. The level of harm also depends on the strain of the bacterium, as well as the functioning of the immune system. The stronger the immune system, the less harm staphylococci can cause to human health. Thus, we can conclude that in most cases, staphylococcus disease requires a combination of 2 factors - infection inside and disruption of the normal functioning of the immune system.

How is staphylococcus transmitted? Let's look at the most popular ways of contracting staphylococcal infections.

How can staphylococcus enter the body?

Airborne path. During the season of respiratory diseases, frequent stay in places with large crowds of people also increases the risk of infection, not only staphylococcal, but also many other types of infection, incl. viral, fungal. , cough - such symptoms serve as a kind of beacons, from which healthy people, if possible, need to stay away.

Airborne dust path. Household and street dust contains a large number of different microscopic particles - plant pollen, exfoliated skin particles, hair of various animals, dust mites, particles of various materials (fabric, paper), and all this is usually seasoned with various infections - fungi. Staphylococcus and other types of infection are very often found in dust, and when we breathe such air, it does not have the best effect on our health.

Contact and household path. Typically, infection occurs through sharing personal hygiene items and bed linen, especially if one of the family members is sick. The risk of infection increases when the skin and mucous membranes are injured.

Fecal-oral (nutritional) route. Infection occurs when eating food with dirty hands, i.e. - in case of non-compliance. It is also worth noting here that infection through nutritional means is also a common cause of diseases such as - and other complex ones.

Medical path. Infection with staphylococcus occurs through contact with insufficiently clean medical instruments, both during surgical interventions and during certain types of diagnostics, which imply a violation of the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes. This is usually due to the treatment of instruments with a product to which the staphylococcus has developed resistance.

How can staphylococcus seriously harm human health, or what weakens the immune system?

Presence of chronic diseases. Most diseases indicate a weakened immune system. If pathological processes are already occurring in the body, it is more difficult for it to protect itself from other diseases. Therefore, any disease increases the risk of a secondary infection, and staphylococcal one of them.

The most common diseases and pathological conditions in which staphylococcus often attacks the patient are: tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, diseases of other systems, as well as other chronic diseases.

In addition, the risk of infection with staphylococcus increases:

Bad habits: smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs;
, lack of healthy sleep;
Sedentary lifestyle;
Use ;
(vitamin deficiency);
Abuse of certain medications - vasoconstrictors (violate the integrity of the nasal mucosa), antibiotics;
Violations of the integrity of the skin, mucous membranes of the nasal cavity and mouth.
Insufficient ventilation of rooms in which a person often stays (work, home);
Work in enterprises with high air pollution, especially without protective equipment (masks).

Symptoms of staphylococcus

The clinical picture (symptoms) of staphylococcus can be very diverse, which depends on the organ affected, the strain of the bacterium, the age of the person, and the functionality (health) of the immune system of the potential patient.

Common symptoms of staphylococcus can be:

Increased and high body temperature (often local) - up to, ;
(a rush of blood to the site of inflammatory processes);
General malaise, soreness;
Swelling;
Pyoderma (develops when staphylococcus gets under the skin), folliculitis, carbunculosis,;
Decreased appetite;
- , And ;
Respiratory tract diseases:, and;
Purulent discharge from the nasopharynx and oropharynx is yellow-green;
Impaired sense of smell;
Difficulty breathing, sneezing;
Changing the timbre of the voice;
Toxic shock syndrome;
Drop in blood pressure;
"Scalded Baby Syndrome";
Impaired functioning of certain organs and tissues, which have become a source of infection;

Complications of staphylococcus:

Lung abscess;
Empyema of the pleura;
Loss of voice;
Convulsions;

Scientists have divided most types of staphylococcus into 11 groups:

1. Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus)— S. aureus, S. Simiae.

Staphylococcus aureus is the most pathogenic for the human body. Once inside, they can cause inflammation and damage to almost all human organs and tissues, as well as form a golden pigment. Staphylococcus aureus has the property of producing the coagulase enzyme, which is why it is sometimes called coagulase-positive staphylococcus.

2. Ear staphylococci (Staphylococcus auricularis)- S. auricularis.

3. Staphylococcus carnosus- S. carnosus, S. condimenti, S. massiliensis, S. piscifermentans, S. simulans.

4. Epidermal staphylococci (Staphylococcus epidermidis)- S. capitis, S. caprae, S. epidermidis, S. saccharolyticus.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is most often found on human skin and mucous membranes. It is a common cause of diseases such as endocarditis, sepsis, purulent lesions of wounds of the skin and urinary tract. With the normal functioning of the immune system, the body does not allow epidermal staphylococci to multiply inside the body and infect it.

5. Hemolytic staphylococci (Staphylococcus haemolyticus)- S. devriesei, S. haemolyticus, S. hominis.

Hemolytic staphylococcus is most often the cause of diseases such as endocarditis, sepsis, inflammatory processes with suppuration on the skin, etc.

6. Staphylococcus hyicus-intermedius- S. agnetis, S. chromogenes, S. felis, S. delphini, S. hyicus, S. intermedius, S. lutrae, S. microti, S. muscae, S. pseudintermedius, S. rostri, S. schleiferi.

7. Staphylococcus lugdunensis— S. lugdunensis.

8. Saprophytic staphylococci (Staphylococcus saprophyticus)– S. arlettae, S. cohnii, S. equorum, S. gallinarum, S. kloosii, S. leei, S. nepalensis, S. saprophyticus, S. succinus, S. xylosus.

Saprophytic staphylococcus is often the cause of urinary tract diseases such as cystitis and urethritis. This is due to the fact that saprophytic staphylococcus is found mainly on the skin of the genitals, as well as the mucous membranes of the urinary tract.

9. Staphylococcus sciuri– S. fleurettii, S. lentus, S. sciuri, S. stepanovicii, S. vitulinus.

10. Staphylococcus simulans– S. simulans.

11. Staphylococcus warneri– S. pasteuri, S. warneri.

Degrees of staphylococcus

To determine the exact treatment regimen, doctors divided the course of staphylococcal disease into 4 conventional degrees. This is due to the fact that different types of infection, as well as their pathological activity at different times and under different conditions, differ. In addition, this approach to diagnosis distinguishes between a staphylococcal infection and which group it belongs to - a completely pathogenic effect on the body, an opportunistic one, and saprophytes, which practically do no harm to humans.

Degrees of staphylococcus

Staphylococcus stage 1. Localization of infection for collection for diagnosis - nasopharynx and oropharynx, skin, genitourinary system. Clinical manifestations are absent or minimal. With a healthy immune system, drug therapy is not required.

Staphylococcus stage 2. Clinical manifestations (symptoms) are minimal or absent. If there are complaints, a thorough diagnosis is carried out for the presence of other types of infection. If it is determined that another type of bacteria is present in the body, antibacterial therapy is prescribed privately.

Staphylococcus 3 degrees. The patient has complaints. In most cases, antibiotic therapy is necessary, unless the attending physician considers the use of antibiotics to be unjustified. Treatment of stage 3 staphylococcus is usually aimed primarily at strengthening the immune system. If within 2 months the body does not recover, an individual treatment regimen for the infection is developed, incl. using antibacterial agents.

Staphylococcus stage 4. Therapy is aimed at strengthening the immune system, eliminating... Before using antibacterial therapy, a thorough diagnosis is carried out to determine the reaction of a specific type of staphylococcus to the drug.

Diagnosis of staphylococcus

Testing for staphylococcus is carried out from smears taken usually from the surface of the skin, mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract or urinary tract.

Additional examination methods may include:

How to treat staphylococcus? Treatment of staphylococcus usually consists of 2 points - strengthening the immune system and antibacterial therapy. If there are other diseases, their treatment is also carried out.

The use of antibiotics based on diagnosis is very important, since it is almost impossible to determine the type of staphylococcus from the clinical picture, and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics can cause a large number of side effects.

However, the following most popular antibiotics are used to treat staphylococcus.

Antibiotics for staphylococcus

Important! Before using antibiotics, be sure to consult your doctor.

"Amoxicillin". It has the property of suppressing infection, stopping its reproduction and negative effects on the body. Blocks the production of peptidoglycan.

"Baneotsin". Ointment for the treatment of staphylococcus in skin lesions. It is based on a combination of two antibiotics - bacitracin and neomycin.

"Vancomycin". Promotes the death of bacteria by blocking a component that is part of its cell membrane. It is used intravenously.

"Clarithomycin", "Clindamycin" And « » . They block the production of proteins by bacteria, without which they die.

"Cloxacillin". Blocks the proliferation of staphylococci by blocking their membranes present during the stage of cell division. Usually prescribed at a dose of 500 mg/6 hours.

"Mupirocin"– antibacterial ointment for staphylococcal skin lesions. Used for external use. The ointment is based on three antibiotics - Bactroban, Bonderm and Supirocin.

"Oxacillin". Blocks bacterial cell division, thereby destroying them. Method of administration: oral, intravenous and intramuscular.

— In hot weather, avoid eating confectionery, meat, dairy and other products that are not stored in proper conditions;

— If the skin is injured, be sure to treat the wound with antiseptic agents, then cover it with a band-aid;

— Try not to visit beauty salons, tattoo parlors, solariums or dental clinics of dubious nature, where they may not adhere to sanitary standards for the treatment of medical instruments.

Which doctor should you contact if you have a staphylococcal infection?

Staphylococcal infection is a generalized definition of diseases provoked by exposure to staphylococcus. Considering the fact that staphylococcal infections are extremely resistant to antibiotic therapy applied to them, among purulent-inflammatory diseases staphylococcus, the symptoms of which may indicate an inflammatory process in any organ, takes first place.

General description

Staphylococci are sedentary, round bacteria, the main area of concentration of which is the mucous membranes and skin of humans. As a rule, their presence does not provoke any problems, however, due to the importance of weakening its defenses for the body, staphylococci can cause a number of different diseases.

Pregnant and lactating women, as well as newborns, are most susceptible to staphylococcus. In addition, taking into account the specific state of the body, which predisposes to the development of diseases against the background of staphylococcus, this also includes patients with pathologies of a chronic nature and with a low level of immunity.

Staphylococcus is rightfully defined as a “hospital” infection, which, accordingly, is explained by the literally massive infection of patients in medical institutions.

Types of staphylococcus

The most dangerous types of staphylococcus are Staphylococcus saprophytic, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus.

Saprophytic staphylococcus settles within the mucous membrane of the urethra, often being the main cause of cystitis in women. Staphylococcus epidermidis can live in various areas of mucous membranes and skin.

What is noteworthy is that the human body in a healthy state copes with epidermal staphylococcus without difficulty, while for people who are, for example, in intensive care units with the corresponding state of the body, it, once inside the body, provokes severe diseases. In particular, these include inflammation of the area of the inner lining of the heart (or), as well as a number of other, no less serious pathologies.

Staphylococcus aureus is the most critical in terms of the impact on the human body. Infection with this type of staphylococcus can affect a variety of organs; moreover, it is this staphylococcus that can provoke almost hundreds of different specific diseases, ranging from the simplest in its course to those whose outcome is fatal for the patient. Staphylococcus aureus has a number of unique “devices”, with the help of which it is possible to resist the protective mechanisms that, in turn, the human body has.

I would like to note that in addition to the distinguished classification, staphylococci also exist in several subspecies (strains), whose difference from each other lies in the difference in their characteristic properties. Thus, provoking the same types of diseases, such strains determine different variants of the clinical picture for each patient.

An important feature is the significant viability of staphylococci, which can be about six months in a dried form; they also do not die as a result of freezing and subsequent thawing. Exposure to direct sunlight also determines their resistance to such conditions.

The ability to reproduce toxins directly determines the pathogenic characteristics of staphylococci. These toxins include, in particular, exfoliatin, which causes damage to skin cells, enterotoxin, which provokes symptoms characteristic of food poisoning, and leukocidin, which causes the destruction of leukocytes.

Staphylococci also produce enzymes, which, as we noted above, help them protect themselves from the action of the mechanisms of the human body’s immune system, while at the same time they provide the ability to preserve staphylococci in the tissues of the body with the subsequent possibility of spreading.

The source of spread of this infection can be either a sick person or a carrier of the infection (asymptomatic), and according to certain data, about more than 40% of completely healthy people are such carriers. They can act as carriers of any strain of staphylococcus.

Gateways for infection are various types of skin damage (including microdamages) and the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. The determining factor for the development of staphylococcal infection is weakened immunity when such a result is achieved through the use of certain medications (they can be antibiotics, immunosuppressants, etc.). The presence of chronic diseases (thyroid disease, etc.) and the influence of unfavorable environmental factors cannot be excluded.

The characteristics of the immune system determine the most complex course of staphylococcal infection in young children, as well as in the elderly.

Staphylococcus: symptoms

Based on the characteristics of the area where staphylococcal infection is introduced, specific clinical manifestations are determined accordingly; the degree of aggressiveness inherent in a particular variety of staphylococcus, along with the current degree of decreased immunity, also plays a role.

One of the most common types of purulent skin diseases is. If we are talking about staphylococcal pyoderma, then it is characterized by skin lesions within the hair openings. Superficial lesions lead to the development folliculitis, the manifestations of which are reduced to the formation of a small abscess, penetrated by hair through its center.

If the lesion is somewhat deeper, then it already develops, which is an inflammation of a purulent-necrotic nature in the form of a hair follicle in combination with the surrounding tissues. Also, deeper types of lesions can manifest themselves in the form of inflammation of the skin in combination with subcutaneous tissue surrounding a group of hair follicles.

Most often, such formations in the form of boils and carbuncles are concentrated on the back surfaces of the buttocks, thighs and neck. The appearance of such formations in the facial area is especially dangerous, because the peculiarities of blood circulation in this case can lead to the introduction of a staphylococcal infection into the brain, against which the subsequent development of either occurs.

Another manifestation characteristic of staphylococcal infection is Ritter's disease, which is otherwise also defined as scalded skin syndrome. As a rule, this syndrome is observed in newborns, as well as in young children. The manifestations of this disease have a certain similarity with (in terms of the manifestation of the rash) or with erysipelas.

One of the forms of manifestation of staphylococcal infection is also epidemic pemphigus, which, by the way, acts as a clear result of the influence of the exfoliatin we noted above (a toxin produced by the infection). Pemphigus is accompanied by the detachment of significant layers of the surface layers of the skin, as a result of which large blisters form in place of these layers.

Under the influence of staphylococcal infection, areas of the superficial veins of the brain can also develop, which, in turn, additionally manifests itself in the form of severe neurological disorders.

In about 95% of cases, it is staphylococcus that leads to a disease such as, in which the bone marrow becomes inflamed. Due to this inflammation, all bone layers are susceptible to damage and subsequent destruction, and the purulent focus often breaks out. The main symptom of osteomyelitis is severe pain in the affected area. Somewhat later, this process is joined by swelling, localized in the area above the inflammation, this in turn leads to the formation of purulent fistulas. If the joints are affected, then the problem becomes relevant, which often occurs when the knee and hip joints are affected.

Among the possible options for the development of staphylococcal infection, damage to the inner lining and valves of the heart is not excluded, which is defined as endocarditis and points to mortality statistics that are quite high, reaching about 60%.

Due to the effects of toxins produced by staphylococcal infection, diseases caused by it are in some cases classified as a group of intoxications, which in particular include toxic shock, and also food toxicosis.

The appearance of toxic shock is preceded by the entry of particularly aggressive types of toxins into the blood, as a result of which blood pressure drops sharply, the patient begins to feel feverish, and experiences severe abdominal pain and nausea. Headache and diarrhea appear, consciousness is impaired. Somewhat later, a spotted rash is added to the complex of these symptoms.

As for food toxicosis, it develops several hours after eating food that has previously been contaminated with a staphylococcal infection, which also manifests itself in the form of severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Severe cases of this manifestation are similar to similar manifestations characteristic of cholera.

The most severe form of staphylococcal infection is sepsis, which is accompanied by the spread of a significant volume of bacteria through the bloodstream with the simultaneous formation of numerous foci of secondary infection directly in the internal organs of the body.

Diagnosis of staphylococcus

Bacterial culture is used as the main method for diagnosing the disease in question. Based on the specific area of localization of staphylococcus, sputum, urine, blood, contents of wounds, boils, breast milk, etc. are used for this.

If there is a suspicion of redundancy in the processes of infection propagation in the intestines, feces are taken for analysis (for the subject). Its results make it possible not only to determine the number of staphylococcal infections, but also the number of other varieties of representatives of the intestinal microflora. Bacterial culture in pregnant women involves taking a swab from the throat and nose.

During the tests, it is also important to determine how sensitive the bacterium is to the effects of antibiotics, which will make it possible to determine the most effective drug for subsequent treatment. It should be noted that the results of bacterial culture with staphylococcus included in them are not at all a direct indication for treatment. The fact is that, as we previously noted, the option of asymptomatic carriage of this infection is possible, which, in turn, may indicate the patient’s normal state of health.

Staphylococcus: treatment

In the treatment of staphylococcal infection, it is necessary to focus on suppressing the pathogen due to it, as well as on restoring individual components in combination with the treatment of concomitant diseases, due to the course of which the overall reactivity of the body is reduced.

From ancient times and, by the way, to this day, the use of surgical treatment methods aimed at combating foci of infection with actual purulent melting in abscesses and boils is the main and optimal solution.

As for the use of antibiotics in the treatment of staphylococcus, it must be extremely justified, because the lack of rationality in prescribing this type of drug not only cannot bring the desired benefit, but also leads in a number of situations to worsening the course of the disease. Treatment of staphylococcal infections is mainly based on the use of semi-synthetic penicillins, as well as penicillins in combination with clavulanic acid or another group of antibiotics.

To diagnose a staphylococcal infection, you must contact your treating pediatrician (general practitioner) or infectious disease specialist.

These spherical bacteria live in the soil, air, on human skin, and on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasal passages. It would seem that staphylococci that exist everywhere are not capable of causing any harm, but we should not forget that these bacteria are conditionally pathogenic, that is, they exhibit their negative properties in certain living conditions.

Classification of staphylococci

Of the large number of varieties of Staphylococcus, there are several species that are truly dangerous to humans. This group includes:

- Staphylococcus aureus, is characterized by high resistance to environmental conditions, a favorable environment for reproduction is medical institutions, is not afraid of high and low temperatures, survives prolonged quartzization of premises. This strain of staphylococci causes the development of persistent infectious dermatitis, is capable of affecting the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, negatively affecting the processes of hematopoiesis and blood circulation, and causing diseases of the spinal cord and brain;
Staphylococcus epidermidis– Staphylococcus epidermidis, mainly causes suppuration of open wounds on the skin, although it also tends to provoke the development of diseases of the eyes, genitourinary system and heart;
Staphylococcus haemolyticus— hemolytic staphylococcus, provokes the development of ulcers in the tissues of internal organs and open wounds, is the cause of dermatoses of varying complexity, as well as blood poisoning;
Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a saprophytic staphylococcus that mainly affects the organs of the genitourinary system.

Risk group for staphylococcal infection

Staphylococcus aureus is often detected in:

women who are pregnant;
HIV-infected people;
patients with diabetes mellitus;
children of the first years of life.

The essence of staphylococcal infection

Staphylococcus infection of the skin of the human body, mucous membranes of the respiratory and genital organs, and intestines, with weak immune reserves of the body to resist pathogenic bacteria, leads to the development of persistent staphylococcal infection. This diagnosis means the active phase of reproduction in the body of dangerous microorganisms that secrete destructive toxins, thereby destroying all its vital systems.

Routes of transmission of staphylococci

Since the pathogenic Staphylococcus bacteria are not only a small part of the normal microflora of the mucous membranes, skin, and intestines of humans, but also the environment, you can become infected:

by airborne droplets;
by airborne dust;
contact and household method;
fecal-oral route;
while in medical institutions.

Causes of blood poisoning with staphylococci

Sepsis is a rapid reaction of the body to an active local process of infection.

Based on the definition of diagnosis, it is clear that staphylococcus is detected in high concentrations in the blood when:

the seriously ill patient is not provided with medical care, which causes even greater activity of bacteria in increasing their colonies;
feasible treatment of the infection is not effective due to bacterial resistance to drugs or lack of immunity in the patient.

In both the first and second cases, the lives of sick people “hang by a thread.” Despite the complexity of sepsis, this diagnosis is still treatable in half of the cases.

Blood poisoning occurs against the background of furunculosis, abscess, phlegmon, toxic shock syndrome, pneumonia, enterocolitis, disorders of the central nervous system, the trigger of which is staphylococcus.

The causes of blood poisoning primarily lie in the disruption of immune processes in the patient’s body. Failure to resist pathogenic microorganisms leads to the spread of infection through the bloodstream in the tissues of the internal organs.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of an acute staphylococcal infection, this is how the patient’s condition during blood poisoning is characterized, indicate severe intoxication of the body, with:

the patient feels nauseated;
vomiting begins;
weakness appears throughout the body;
against the background of fever, tachycardia is observed;
blood pressure drops;
breathing becomes difficult;
possible loss of consciousness;
excruciating muscle pain appears;
bones hurt;
digestive processes are disrupted;
there is confusion;
Coma may occur.

With the development of sepsis, the above symptoms are accompanied by the spread of a rash throughout the body. The patient's condition with the development of staphylococcal sepsis is characterized as extremely severe and requires mandatory hospitalization.

Severe symptoms in adults indicating blood poisoning with staphylococci are subjected to scrupulous study and in-depth diagnosis in order to prescribe effective therapy to the patient.

Diagnostics

Staphylococcal sepsis manifests itself identically to streptococcal sepsis. To prescribe competent treatment, it is very important to recognize the causative agent of the disease. Streptococcus, which causes blood poisoning, is often prescribed in tests as group B staphylococcus. This infection is typical for pregnant women and infants.

To confirm the diagnosis of sepsis, venous blood is first taken for analysis.

The predetermining indicator of the disease is the concentration of bacteria in the blood (quantity).

To detect a high concentration of pathogenic microorganisms in order to exclude false indicators, blood sampling is performed during the patient’s high body temperature, observed before the administration of the main drug therapy.

Applicable research methods:

detailed blood test;
bacterial blood culture;
Blood PCR;
Antibiogram.

Treatment

Blood poisoning with staphylococci is treated in intensive care units. Medicinal practice involves performing detoxification measures and immunotherapy in combination. In order to achieve high efficiency in the treatment of sepsis, doctors resort to surgical treatment of purulent foci of infection. There are often cases when a patient requires a blood transfusion (cleaning).

Treatment of staphylococcal sepsis is often accompanied by the prescription of the following medications:

Name drug	Current substance	Pharmacological group	Form release
"Graximol"	amoxicillin	antibacterial agent from the penicillin group	tablets, capsules, suspension
"Gramox-D"
"Ospamox"
"Flemoxin"
"Vankogen"	vancomycin	antimicrobial agent from the group of glycopeptide antibiotics	solution for infusion
"Vancadicine"
"Vankum"
"Edicin"
"Vampilox"	cloxacillin	combined antibacterial agent from the penicillin group
"Cesolin"	cefazolin
"Cefamizin"
"Cefazolin"
	oxacillin	antibacterial agent from the penicillin group	powder for solution for infusion
"Lexin"	cephalexin	antibacterial agent from the group of first generation cephalosporins	suspension
"Ospexin"
"Aziklar"	clarithromycin		tablets, suspension, solution for infusion
"Clarimax"
"Claricite"
"Klacid"
"Erythromycin"	erythromycin	antimicrobial agent from the macrolide group	tablets, ointment, solution for external use
"Dalacin C"	clindamycin	antimicrobial agent from the lycosamide group	capsules, solution for infusion
"Clindahexal"
"Pulxipron"
"Clindamycin M"
"Loraxim"	cefotaxime	antibacterial agent from the group of third generation cephalosporins	powder for solution for infusion
"Sefotak"
"Cefotaxime-Norton"
"Galavit"		immunostimulant	powder for the preparation of solution for intramuscular injection
"Staphylococcal bacteriophage"	bacteriophage	antibacterial agent	solution oral, vaginal, cutaneous, rectal
"Immunoglobulin"	immunoglobulin	antimicrobial agent from the group of immunoglobulins
	human interferon	immunostimulant	solution, suppositories
"Genferon"

Preventive measures

In order to prevent blood poisoning by staphylococci, experts recommend:

promptly seek help from a specialist (infectious disease specialist, immunologist) if lesions of the skin, eyes, mucous membranes of the genitals, or oral cavity occur, accompanied by purulent processes;
take care of strengthening the immune system: follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle;
do not indulge in self-medication with antibacterial drugs;
observe the rules of personal hygiene;
follow the age-specific vaccination schedule for people;
promptly eliminate the root causes of staphylococcal infections that provoke the formation of infectious foci (timely treat herpes virus infections, acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, STDs).