Staphylococcus aureus bacteria normally live in the nose, mouth, rectum or genital area without causing infection. When a wound or injury introduces the organism into some other part of the body, however, these bacteria can secrete substances that tunnel into tissues, destroying and dissolving matter along the way. The bacteria can produce pus containing abscesses anywhere on or in the body.
If you have an illness such as chronic liver or kidney disease, diabetes, or cancer, you are particularly susceptible to severe staphylococcal infection.
Several fairly common skin infections can be caused by Staphylococcus bacteria. One example is folliculitis in which small, white headed pimples erupt around hair follicles anywhere on the body. Friction, blockage of the follicle or injury (from shaving for example) can cause a rash-like eruption.
Any skin wound whether they are caused by an injury or made during surgery, can be complicated by staphylococcal infections. The symptoms are the formation of pus, pain, redness and heat.
Staphylococcus bacteria can infect any part of your body. Bones and joints develop staphylococcal abscesses from blood infections. As the organism circulates in the bloodstream it tends to lodge in the long bones of the arms and legs, or in the vertebrae.
In the lungs, staphylococcal pneumonia can develop. This type of pneumonia may occur if the bacteria circulate in the bloodstream or if an abscess lodges on one of the valves on the right side of the heart.
Staphylococcal food poisoning can occur if you eat contaminated food that contains toxins produced by the bacteria.
Staphylococcus can also cause a colon infection if you take an antibiotic drug that kills many kinds of bacteria, including those that normally live in the digestive tract. This may upset the balance of organisms in the intestines, so that Staphylococci over multiply and cause abdominal pain, a swollen abdomen and bloody diarrhea.
It is also possible to develop a kidney infection or abscesses in the kidney tissue or along the outside of the kidney, if Staphylococcus bacteria are circulating in your bloodstream.
If Staphylococcus infects the inner lining of the heart, Infective endocarditis will develop. This disorder can cause irreversible heart damage, and may even be fatal in some cases.
In mild cases of staphylococcal infection such as folliculitis or boils, cleaning the infected area with soap and eliminating the cause of the infection will often clear up the problem. If the infection persists or if you have severe symptoms, you should see your physician. The physician will probably prescribe an antibiotic to combat the infection.
In extreme cases, you may have to be hospitalized so that antibiotics can be given by intravenous drip. Sometimes abscesses must be surgically drained to clean out pockets of pus before the infection will heal completely.
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