Signs of a Staph Infection
- Most staph infections cause skin infections that are typically short-lived and easily treated. Boils are the most common type of skin infection caused by the staphylococcus bacteria. They often appear in the armpit and the groin and the buttocks. A boil is a swollen, red pus- or blood-filled sore. Impetigo is a contagious rash most common in infants and young children. Large, yellow-crusted blisters often appear on the nose and lips of impetigo patients. Cellulitis is another common staph infection of the skin, and it is more common in older patients. Cellulitis generally affects the lower extremities and is characterized by red, swollen skin that causes the hair follicles to appear dimpled. Scalded skin syndrome mostly affects newborns and causes a rash and blisters that may break open to reveal raw, red skin underneath that resembles a burn.
- Staph infections can be caused by ingesting infected food. Food poisoning symptoms generally appear within one to six hours of eating. The recovery time is usually short, lasting one to two days, though the illness can last longer and be much more serious in very young or older patients. Food poisoning symptoms are almost exclusively gastrointestinal including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramping. Fever may also accompany stomach-related symptoms.
- Bacteremia is a poisoning of the blood that occurs when staph bacteria migrate to the bloodstream. The most common sign of bacteremia is a persistent fever that is resistant to normal fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen. Bacteremia is a serious condition that should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible due to the risk of the infection moving into internal organs, such as the heart and lungs. Bacteremia can also infect surgically inserted devices such as artificial joints, stents and pacemakers.
- Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is most commonly associated with improper tampon use, but it can also be caused by skin wounds and surgery. TSS symptoms usually come on suddenly. A high fever (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, 39.4 degrees Celsius) is usually the first sign of TSS. Other symptoms include nausea, confusion, muscle aches, seizures or a rash on the palms and soles of the feet that resembles a sunburn.
- Septic arthritis can be caused by a staph infection. The bacteria usually target the knees, but any joint can be affected. Patients often experience bouts of fever and shaking chills that come and go with episodes of joint pain. The affected joint may also swell, and the pain associated with septic arthritis is classified as severe, according to the Mayo Clinic.