What is staphylococcal disease?
Staphylococci are bacteria that can cause a variety of syndromes from skin infections and food poisoning, to severe invasive disease which can result in septicemia or death. Who gets staphylococcal disease? Anyone can get staphylococcal infections. Susceptibility is greatest among newborns and persons with chronic underlying health conditions. How is this staphylococcal disease spread? Staphylococci bacteria are very common organisms harbored in the human nose. Self infection is responsible for up to one-third of infections – with the hands being the instrument of transmission. Otherwise, transmission is by direct contact with a person who has a draining skin lesion or is an asymptomatic carrier. What are the symptoms of staphylococcal disease? The most common infections are of the skin: impetigo, abscesses, and infected cuts. There may be one or several skin lesions. Usually, lesions are uncomplicated, but if the organism invades the bloodstream, it may lead to pneumonia, septicemia,
