Staph Infection Symptoms

Staph infection symptoms include various skin changes, symptoms of infected internal organs, and symptoms related to staph blood poisoning (sepsis).

What is Staph?

Staph infection is caused by a bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (shortly staph) and rarely by S. epidermidis or other staphylococcal species.

What Is Staph Infection?

Staph infection is an inflammation of the skin or internal organs, caused by staph bacteria or their toxins. Staph infection may be mild or life threatening, and may appear as:

• Skin infection
• Infection of the mucous membranes (sinusitis, epiglottitis, vaginitis)
• Infection of the glands (mastitis, parotitis)
• Staph food poisoning
• Urinary infection in men
• Bone infection (osteomielitis) and joint infection (arthritis)
• Staph pneumonia
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Staph meningitis
• Bacteremia, sepsis
• Soft tissue gangrene and gas gangrene
• Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (SSSS)

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Staph Skin Infection Pictures

Staph (pronounced staff) skin infection may appear as:

• a red bump or pus-filled blister (folliculitis)
• a boil (furuncle)
• infected cystic acne, hidradenitis suppurativa, pilonidal cyst
• a vesicle which may burst and crust over (impetigo)
• an erythema (cellulitis)
• a skin scalding (staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome)
• an infected wound or burn

Drainage of pus from lesions is common.

What Causes Staph Skin Infections?

Staph infections are mainly caused by bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and rarely by S. epidermidis, or S. saprophyticus. In staph carriers, S. aureus lives in the nose and on the skin, less commonly in the mouth, mammary glands, urinary, intestinal and upper respiratory tract (1). Staphylococcal infections usually remain localized at the site of entry. What is Staphylococcus aureus?

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