Staphylococci are so infectious
Staphylococci belong to the facultative pathogenic germs. This means that they are only able to cause infections if the immune system is weakened, open injuries or previous illnesses are present. Normally they are therefore hardly contagious.
In addition, staphylococci – at least some species – belong to the typical skin germs of humans. So they are always on the skin and humans or various animals serve as a reservoir for them. However, staphylococci are characterized by a very high environmental tolerance.
They are therefore difficult to eliminate, which is why they can survive for hours or even days on exposed surfaces and still remain contagious. However, hardly anyone who has had contact with a person with staphylococcal infection falls ill. As already mentioned, every person carries a certain subgroup on their skin themselves, which does not make them sick all the time. And besides, a transmission of staphylococci does not mean an infection, even if it is a different subgroup.
However, transmission of resistant staphylococci can be dangerous. These do not lead directly to infection either. However, if there is a possibility that the resistant pathogens can cause an infection in humans, antibiotic treatment of these pathogens is much more complicated. It is therefore worthwhile wearing protective clothing when coming into contact with MRSA patients in order to prevent the germs from spreading as far as possible.
How staphylococci are transmitted
By and large, staphylococci can be transmitted in almost every conceivable way.However, there are two main ways of doing this: First, there are smear infections. Infected areas are usually touched with the hands. These hands are then used to touch surfaces, shake hands or similar.
From there, the staphylococci then move on to the skin or into skin openings, where they may cause an infection. Aerosols can be another potential method of transmission for staphylococci. This variant is much rarer but nevertheless common.
In this case, the bacteria are found in spit-out or coughed up “spit droplets”. If this air-water-bacteria mixture is inhaled, an infection can also result from this. The staphylococci can settle on the skin.
In terms of transmissibility, staphylococci have the advantage that they are relatively resistant to environmental influences. They can survive for several days on exposed surfaces. However, they can be rendered harmless very easily by disinfectants.
