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Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus or "Staph") is a bacterium that is carried on the skin or nasal lining of up to 30 percent of healthy individuals. In this setting, the bacteria usually cause no symptoms.
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You can pick up Staph, especially if you:
●Have skin trauma (eg, "turf burns," cuts, or sores)
●Are an athlete
●Shave or wax to remove body hair, particularly of the armpits and groin
●Have tattoos or body piercing
●Have physical contact with a person who has a draining cut or sore or is a carrier of Staph
●Share personal items or equipment that is not cleaned or laundered between users (such as towels or protective sports pads)
STAPH SYMPTOMS — Most people infected with Staph have signs of a skin infection. Such skin infections may appear spontaneously and, in some cases, may be mistaken for a spider bite. The skin may have a single raised red lump that is tender, a cluster of "pimples", or a large tender lump that drains pus (called a carbuncle). The area may enlarge and become progressively more tender, red, and swollen. The center of the raised area may ooze pus.
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Prevention in the community — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made the following recommendations [4]:
●Keep hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water. Hands should be wet with water and plain soap and be rubbed together for 15 to 30 seconds. Special attention should be paid to the fingernails, between the fingers, and the wrists. Hands should be rinsed thoroughly and dried with a single-use towel (eg, paper towels).
●Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a good alternative for disinfecting hands if a sink is not available. Hand sanitizers should be rubbed over the entire surface of hands, fingers, and wrists until dry and may be used several times. When a sink is available, visibly soiled hands should be washed with soap and water.
●Keep cuts and scrapes clean, dry, and covered with a bandage until healed.
●Avoid touching other people's wounds or bandages.
●Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, clothing, or uniforms. Other items that should not be shared include brushes, combs, and makeup.
●Students who participate in team sports should shower after every athletic activity using soap and clean towels. Athletes with skin infections should receive prompt treatment and should not compete until cleared by a Health Care Provider.
●People who use exercise machines at sports clubs or schools should be sure to wipe down the equipment, including the hand grips, with an alcohol-based solution after using it.
A basic infection prevention measure —
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