Staphylococcus aureus - one of the most known microorganisms. Outbreaks of staph infection induce terror in the maternity hospitals, children's hospitals and nutrition. But not everyone knows that there is a kind of staph that coexist peacefully with the person without causing his illness.

What aureus

Staphylococci - a fixed opportunistic (cause disease only in reducing the body's defenses) bacteria. They have a regular spherical shape (hence the name: cocci, ie, grain) and divided, forming clusters resembling bunches.

Staphylococci can exist and multiply in the absence of oxygen and in its presence (the latter is preferable for them) at a temperature 35-40˚, preferably in an alkaline medium. Many strains (types) of staphylococci produce enzymes and toxins (poisons). All staphylococci are divided into three main types: St. aureus, St. epidermidis, St. saprophyticus. There are other types of staphylococci which have a minimal spread.

Health greatest interest is St. aureus (golden), it is characterized by the ability to produce a variety of toxins and enzymes that play a major role in the development of staphylococcal infections. Especially large role enterotoxins (intestinal toxins) that cause food poisoning or an intestinal infection, as well as toxins which cause dermatitis (inflammation of skin) in the newborn. The special protein (protein A), which is part of the cell wall of St. aureus, capable of destroying phagocytic cells - red blood cells which "swallow" and the dissolved bacteria. Most strains St. aureus, have pronounced antibiotic resistance.

St. epidermidis and St. saprophyticus long considered nonpathogenic (not capable of causing disease). However, it is now known that under certain conditions they can cause disease.

In humans aureus lives mainly on the skin and mucous membranes, but the appearance of staph infection can spread to other organs and tissues.

How can I find aureus

Microbiological diagnosis of staph infection include pathogen isolation by plating of the material (swabs, swabs, urine, blood, etc.) to the culture medium. Field of the pathogen to multiply the medium, it is identified (determined belonging to one or another form) and determine its sensitivity to various antibiotics. In the future, the pathogen affect only those antibiotics for which he showed sensitivity.

Staphylococcia

Staph infection - is a group of infectious diseases caused by staphylococci, are:

• Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, including pyoderma (pustular rash) newborns, boils, abscesses, whitlow Felon   and so on;
• respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia);
• diseases of the nervous system and sensory organs (meningeal inflammation, inflammation of the ear, and so on);
• digestive diseases (intestinal infections, food poisoning, peritonitis);
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (inflammation of the bones, joints);
• cardiovascular disease (eg, thrombophlebitis - inflammation of the veins);
• Diseases of the genitourinary organs (inflammation of the urinary tract and kidneys, uterus and its appendages, and so on);
• staphylococcal septicemia (blood poisoning) - primary or develop on the background of purulent diseases.

The growth of the disease staphylococcal infection associated with the widespread use of antibiotics for the purpose of self that is addictive to them certain strains of Staphylococci.

Nosocomial staphylococcal infections

Staph infection is one of the first places among nosocomial infections, its occurrence is possible in the hospital ward of any profile (surgical, gynecological, ENT, etc.). But the greatest danger of staphylococcal infection is for maternity hospitals where newborn children for the first time faced with staphylococcus without him immunity.

The sources of nosocomial infections are patients with the erased form of staphylococcal infection or carriers of staphylococci. There are permanent carriers, which when sown from the nasal cavity is always found Staphylococcus aureus and alternating media - Staphylococcus they allocated from time to time.

Ways of transmission of staphylococcus

Transmitted from person to person aureus can sneezing, coughing (sometimes with breathing), through a variety of household items and food. Gateway for infection are damaged skin and mucous membranes of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts. At the site of the introduction of infection develops purulent inflammation, during which aureus repeatedly multiplies and produces toxins that cause symptoms of the disease.

Remember! In order not to get a staph infection, you should promptly treat pockets of infection (eg, chronic tonsillitis or bad teeth), and wash their hands regularly.

Galina Romanenko