These staphylococci are dangerous
In the first place, staphylococci are considered to be only facultative pathogens. This means that they are not dangerous if you come into contact with unwounded skin. They only become “dangerous” when they get into a wound. Staphylococcus epidermidis is probably the most common, Staphylococcus aureus however the most dangerous germ that can penetrate.For immunocompromised persons, an infection with the germs is normally not a problem. However, if the number of invading germs is particularly high or if the person has an immune deficiency, the infections can spread in the body and in the worst case lead to a fulminant blood poisoning.
These staphylococcal infections exist
Staphylococcal infections can also be subdivided according to the types of staphylococci that cause them. Staphylococcus aureus, for example, is mainly responsible for the development of open pus blisters (so-called impetigo contagiosa) and abscesses filled with pus. In addition, poor immune status can lead to inflammation of the heart, lung skin or meninges.
In addition, Staphylococcus aureus can lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome or Scaled Skin Syndrome in particularly severe cases. The former is a blood poisoning that can lead to multi-organ failure in which the germ produces a toxin that spreads throughout the body. The second is a phenomenon that occurs mainly in small children.
In this case, the infection causes the uppermost skin layer of the body to become detached over a large area. Staphylococcus epidermidis, lugdunensis or saprophyticus, on the other hand, do not create such fulminant processes. The epidermal form usually causes local inflammation and in the worst case can cause inflammation of the heart muscle. Staphylococcus lugdunensis is also known to affect the heart, while Staphylococcus saprophyticus is often found in a bladder infection.
I recognize an infection with staphylococci by these symptoms
The symptoms of a staphylococcal infection are manifold and usually cannot be clearly defined. In addition, they depend on the type of staphylococcus that causes the infection and which organ system is affected. Common to all infections, however, is the development of fever, provided that the infection affects the whole body.
If only a small local area is affected, this area usually shows redness and increased sensitivity to pain. If the infection affects one of the internal organs, as is usually the case with coagulase-negative staphylococci, cardiac arrhythmia or loss of performance or burning sensation when urinating may be symptoms that indicate that the respective organ is infected with staphylococci. Staphylococcus aureus, on the other hand, usually attacks the skin, so that the increasing formation of small abscesses or “exposed skin areas” are a sign of a staphylococcal infection. If one has become infected with a resistant species of Staphylococcus aureus, the fact that the standard antibiotics are not effective may also be an indication of this particular staphylococcal infection.
