What exactly is a staff infection ? What are some ways you contract it ?

Answer 1

It is an infection caused by stapylococcus bacteria. The most common means of contracting a staph infection is through an open flesh wound (which is why you sometimes hear of people who recently had surgery getting a staph infection). Here is an article written in simple, plain language that may answer your questions.

Answer 2

Staphyloccocus bacteria cause staph infections. There are a variety of staphs. Bacteria, like viruses and fungal spores, are everywhere. They are on your skin right now. Most bacteria are benign and even helpful. Relatively few are disease producing (pathogenic) and these tend to be opportunistic. If your immune system is compromised (fighting infection at the moment) or there is an opening in the skin pathogenic bacteria may step in but they must be introduced to the body. Not, hi, I'm Staphy and you're...? They must be introduced through a break in the skin, whether accidental (a cut or abrasion) or manmade (surgical incision, stoma), or through the respiratory tract. They can also be transferred to the eyes and any mucous membrane. A local infection can even enter the blood and become widespread (systemic infection).

You will probably not be bothered by it if you are essentially healthy, have an intact immune system and use good hand hygiene. The hands are the number one means of disease transmission. If it's necessary for you to come into contact with a known Staph-infected individual, use a layman's version of what we call contact precautions. Don't touch the person with your bare hands, don't contact bedding or clothing, keep your distance if the person is coughing, sneezing or has any visible drainage, and wash your hands well immediately afterward.

And, yes, I have to admit that hospitals are a grand place to get sick. It's called nosocomial infection. I know that currently there's a lot of scare-talk going around about MRSA, one type of Staph bacteria. Bear in mind that not only is there hospital-acquired MRSA there's also community-acquired MRSA.

But to answer your question, a staff infection is when all the people who work for you get sick at the same time. ;)

Stay healthy and take good care of yourself.

Answer 3

Staph infections usually occur when bacteria on the skin wind up either irritating pores or hair follicles, resulting in acne or rashes on the skin. Staph can also infect the bloodstream, usually entering the body through an open wound. Oncologists usually see this on cancer patients who require a central line such as a Hickman catheter: The catheter extends past an opening in the skin, and the bacteria takes advantage of the lower immune system that results from cancer treatment. Serrious cases often present themselves through chills accompanied by fever, night sweats, and extreme fatigue. As always, if you suspect that you're a victim to this, contact your doctor. This one'll kill you if you don't get it in check.

Answer 4

It's STAPH infection, and there are a variety of ways of contracting them.

Answer 5

Huge question that requires a lot of research. Staph bacteria are carried in the nose, mouth, genitals, and anal area. The infections range from simple boils to antibiotic-resistant infections, and even flesh-eating disease.
http://www.medicinenet.com/staph_infection/article.htm

Answer 6

i know someone that caught it in jail like the person told me he heard that he probably layed on that bed after someone else laid there and sweated and also the guy that told me this was in a fight thats why he went...and he had some wounds ..u can also get it from the hospital

Answer 7

It's staph.... and you can get it anywhere, but hospitals are one terrific place to get one.

Answer 8

I GOT IT ALL RIGHT HERE FOR YOU:::Staph is the shortened name for Staphylococcus (pronounced: staf-uh-low-kah-kus), a type of bacteria. These bacteria can live harmlessly on many skin surfaces, especially around the nose, mouth, genitals, and anus. But when the skin is punctured or broken for any reason, staph bacteria can enter the wound and cause an infection.
There are more than 30 species in the staph family of bacteria, and they can cause different kinds of illnesses — for example, one kind of staph can cause urinary tract infections. But most staph infections are caused by the species Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).
S. aureus most commonly causes skin infections like folliculitis, boils, impetigo, and cellulitis that are limited to a small area of a person's skin. S. aureus can also release toxins (poisons) that may lead to illnesses like food poisoning or toxic shock syndrome.
How Do People Get Staph Infections?
In teens, most staph infections are minor skin infections. People with skin problems like burns or eczema may be more likely to get staph skin infections.People can get staph infections from contaminated objects, but staph bacteria often spread through skin-to-skin contact — the bacteria can be spread from one area of the body to another if someone touches the infected area.
Staph infections can spread from person to person among those who live close together in group situations (such as in college dorms). Usually this happens when people with skin infections share things like bed linens, towels, or clothing. Warm, humid environments can contribute to staph infections, so excessive sweating can increase someone's chances of developing an infection.Although it's very rare, infections caused by S. aureus can occasionally become serious. This happens when the bacteria move from a break in the skin into the bloodstream. This can lead to infections in other parts of the body, such as the lungs, bones, joints, heart, blood, and central nervous system.
Staph infections in other parts of the body are less common than staph skin infections. They are more likely in people whose immune systems have been weakened by another disease.
Occasionally patients undergoing surgery may get these more serious types of staph infections. The good news is that hospital staff take many precautions to avoid infection in someone having surgery. That's why they carefully clean the area being operated on, use sterile equipment, and sometimes give a person antibiotics.

What Are the Signs of a Staph Skin Infection?
Staph skin infections show up in lots of different ways. Some of the more common conditions often caused by S. aureus skin infections are:
Folliculitis (pronounced: fuh-lih-kyoo-lie-tus) is an infection of the hair follicles, the tiny pockets under the skin where hair shafts (strands) grow. In folliculitis, tiny white-headed pimples appear at the base of hair shafts, sometimes with a small red area around each pimple. This occurs often where people shave or have irritated skin from rubbing against clothing.
A furuncle (pronounced: fyoor-un-kul), commonly known as a boil, is a swollen, red, painful lump in the skin, usually due to an infected hair follicle. The lump usually fills with pus, growing larger and more painful until it ruptures and drains. Furuncles are most frequently found on the face, neck, buttocks, armpits, and inner thighs, where small hairs can often be irritated. A cluster of several furuncles is called a carbuncle (pronounced: kar-bun-kul). A person with a carbuncle usually feels ill and feverish.
Impetigo (pronounced: im-puh-tie-go) is a superficial skin infection that mostly happens in young children, but it can sometimes affect teens and adults. Most impetigo infections affect the face or extremities like the hands and feet. An impetigo skin infection begins as a tender, red bump that turns into a small blister or pimple, and then develops a honey-colored crust. Impetigo doesn't usually cause pain or fever, although the blisters may itch and can be spread to other parts of the body by scratching.
Cellulitis (pronounced: sell-yuh-lie-tus) is an infection involving areas of tissue below the skin surface. It begins as a small area of redness, pain, swelling, and warmth on the skin. As this area begins to spread, a person may feel feverish and ill. Cellulitis can affect any area of the body, but it's most common on the face or lower legs.
A hordeolum (pronounced: hore-dee-oh-lum), commonly known as a stye, is a staph infection in the eyelid. It develops when glands connected to the base of the eyelash become obstructed. A person with a stye will usually notice a red, warm, uncomfortable, and sometimes painful swelling near the edge of the eyelid.
Most of these staph infections are usually minor and can be treated at home by washing the skin with an antibacterial cleanser, applying an antibiotic ointment, and covering the skin with a clean dressing. (See below for specific treatment tips.)
If a minor infection gets worse — for example, you start feeling feverish or ill or the area spreads and gets very red or and hot — it's a good idea to see a doctor.
Wound infections generally show up 2 or more days after the injury or surgery. The signs of a wound infection (redness, pain, swelling, and warmth) are similar to those found in cellulitis. A wound infection may be accompanied by fever and a generally ill feeling. Pus or a cloudy fluid can drain from the wound and a yellow crust (like that in impetigo) can develop. If you think you have a wound infection after surgery, or you have a serious wound that seems to be infected, call your doctor.
Can I Prevent a Staph Skin Infection?
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are everywhere. Many healthy people carry staph bacteria without getting sick.
Cleanliness and good hygiene are the best way to protect yourself against getting staph (and other) infections. You can help prevent staph skin infections by washing your hands frequently and by bathing or showering daily.
Keep areas of skin that have been injured — such as cuts, scrapes, eczema, and rashes caused by allergic reactions or poison ivy — clean and covered, and use any antibiotic ointments or other treatments that your doctor suggests. If someone in your family has a staph infection, don't share towels, sheets, or clothing until the infection has been fully treated.
If you develop a staph infection, you can prevent spreading it to other parts of your body by being careful not to touch the infected skin, keeping it covered whenever possible, and using a towel only once when you clean the area (wash the towel in hot water afterwards or use disposable towels).
What Can I Do to Feel Better?
How long it takes for a staph skin infection to heal depends on the type of infection and whether a person gets treatment for it. A boil, for example, may take 10 to 20 days to heal without treatment, but treatment will speed up this process. Most styes, on the other hand, go away on their own within several days.
To help relieve pain from a skin infection, try soaking the skin in warm water or applying warm, moist washcloths to the area. You can also apply a heating pad or a hot water bottle to the skin for about 20 minutes, three or four times a day. Pain relievers like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) can help reduce pain until the infection subsides.
Styes can be treated using warm compresses over the eye (with the eye closed) three or four times a day. Occasionally, a stye will require a topical antibiotic. See your doctor if a stye doesn't go away in a few days.
If you get a staph infection on skin areas that you normally shave, avoid shaving, if possible, until the infection clears up. If you do have to shave the area, use a clean disposable razor or clean your electric razor after each use.
Staph infections can be a nuisance, but the good news is that they are usually not serious.

hope this helps