by Stephen Turitz
The common name for the infection caused Staphylococcus bacteria is “Staph Infection”. This is what we lay people know it to be. Essentially Staphylococcus bacteria are harmless, but they catch you in the wrong place at the wrong time they can be lethal. Many people get Staph infections and hardly know they are infected.
As with much medical terminology, Staphylococcus is a word whose source lies in Greek, Staphyle and Kokkos; the former being a bunch of grapes and the latter; berries. It is so named because this is what these bacteria look like under microscopic scrutiny.
They are “gram-positive, facultative anaerobic unencapsulated cocci”. Whether this makes you any wiser or not is hard to say, but is looks and sounds very intelligent. If you can get your tongue around this description, the next time you have a wound which goes a little septic, you can say.
Essentially there are more than thirty different Staphylococci (the plural of Staphylococcus) which are able to cause infections in the human body. However most of these are of the “aureus” variety.
They are found naturally in areas of the body such as the nose and on the skin, and can also be found elsewhere but this is less common. 20 – 30% of healthy adults walk around with these little boogers hitching a ride. More often than not they do not cause any illness. The problem is that when an injury is incurred, the bacteria can overcome the body’s natural resistance to them.
Some people are at greater risk of developing a staph infection than others. People who suffer from chronic illness such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease and cancer; newborn babies, and breastfeeding mothers.
It can also affect people who have weak immune systems and people who have had surgery, but virtually anyone is able to contract a staph infection.
Skin infections are the most common, the area affected is generally painful, red, swollen and pus is usually present. In breastfeeding women it can cause mastitis, which releases bacteria into the mothers’ milk. And when this bacteria gets into the bloodstream more serious illnesses can occur.
About the Author:
Staph is a dangerous virus, that needs to be treated right away. To learn more
about staff infection, look at the reports and see what the experts are saying.
Staph Infection – What Is Staphylococcus And What Can It Cause?
The common name for the infection caused Staphylococcus bacteria is “Staph Infection”. This is what we lay people know it to be. Essentially Staphylococcus bacteria are harmless, but they catch you in the wrong place at the wrong time they can be lethal. Many people get Staph infections and hardly know they are infected.
As with much medical terminology, Staphylococcus is a word whose source lies in Greek, Staphyle and Kokkos; the former being a bunch of grapes and the latter; berries. It is so named because this is what these bacteria look like under microscopic scrutiny.
They are “gram-positive, facultative anaerobic unencapsulated cocci”. Whether this makes you any wiser or not is hard to say, but is looks and sounds very intelligent. If you can get your tongue around this description, the next time you have a wound which goes a little septic, you can say.
Essentially there are more than thirty different Staphylococci (the plural of Staphylococcus) which are able to cause infections in the human body. However most of these are of the “aureus” variety.
They are found naturally in areas of the body such as the nose and on the skin, and can also be found elsewhere but this is less common. 20 – 30% of healthy adults walk around with these little boogers hitching a ride. More often than not they do not cause any illness. The problem is that when an injury is incurred, the bacteria can overcome the body’s natural resistance to them.
Some people are at greater risk of developing a staph infection than others. People who suffer from chronic illness such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease and cancer; newborn babies, and breastfeeding mothers.
It can also affect people who have weak immune systems and people who have had surgery, but virtually anyone is able to contract a staph infection.
Skin infections are the most common, the area affected is generally painful, red, swollen and pus is usually present. In breastfeeding women it can cause mastitis, which releases bacteria into the mothers’ milk. And when this bacteria gets into the bloodstream more serious illnesses can occur.
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