Staph Nose
Staph Infection In The Nose
A staph infection in the nose is caused from common bacteria called staphylococcus that is found in the nose and on the skin of healthy people. The name staphylococcus is actually derived from two Greek words being “staphyle” which means a bunch of grapes and also “kokkos” which means berry. The name is due to the appearance of grapes and berries that staphylococci looks like under a microscope.
There are around 30 various forms of staphylococci, causing different types of infections in humans. The staph infection in the nose is the most infectious of all of them.
Staph infection in the nose symptoms
The most popular staph infection in the nose symptoms are painful and itchy cuts on the nose. Other symptoms include carbuncles and furuncles that are small, medium and large-sized boils. These irritating boils are formed when the staphylococci grows underneath the skin.
The primary characteristics of a staph infection in the nose are described as reddish bumps under and above the skin. The boils that are present will continue to grow in size due to the pus forming inside until the boil finally gets to the point that it ruptures and then all of the pus drains out. The furuncles are typically small boils that will heal in approximately one to two weeks while the carbuncles are usually a cluster of boils that will take significantly longer to heal and are known to develop into more serious infections.
Another form of staph infection in the nose that is common is called impetigo. This type usually develops not only on the nose but the mouth as well. Impetigo is common in children that are between two and six years old however, teens and adults have been known to develop this condition too. Common impetigo symptoms include scabs that are honey in color that develop from the dried serum. These scabs are actually extremely thin-walled boils that have ruptured and already drained out their pus.
Who Is At Risk?
It is important to know that a staph infection in the nose is highly contagious. This infection can spread by common use of handkerchiefs, tissues and hand towels so it is essential that you always maintain proper hygiene and wash your hands with disinfectants.
Virtually anyone can suffer from a staph infection in the nose but certain groups of people tend to be at a higher risk including breastfeeding women, newborn infants and people with cancer, diabetes, lung disease and vascular disease. Also, injecting drug users and those that have skin disorders and injuries, surgical incisions, intravenous catheters and individuals with a weak immune system are at higher risk.
Diagnosis
Often, a staph infection in the nose can be diagnosed strictly by its visible appearance but more serious infections that are in the bloodstream or accompanied by pneumonia may require culturing of the blood, samples or infected fluids. The laboratory will then need to establish the diagnosis to determine proper antibiotics that will be effective against the specific bacteria.
Treatment
Minor infections can typically be treated by using a nonprescription triple-antibiotic ointment but in some cases, an oral antibiotic will also need to accompany the ointment to kill the infection. Also, if there are abscesses present, they will probably need to be surgically drained.
If the condition is a bit more severe, it is treated with intravenous antibiotics. Such medications will be determined by the laboratory based on the results of the tests that were performed for diagnosis. If you believe that you may have a staph infection in the nose and symptoms do not seem to be going away on their own or with the help of an ointment you need to seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis to determine treatment options.