Staph Infection: Information, Research, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
The below provides a general overview of this topic and may not apply to everyone. Any treatment protocol should be discussed with a qualified healthcare practitioner. Please refer to: Medical & Legal Disclaimer.
Note: The below information is mainly geared towards human staph infections, but is helpful and has relevancy for animal patients as well. Use your good judgment and discuss with your vet the treatment protocol.
Staphylococcus
aka Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome or Ritter Disease
What is Staphylococcus?
Staphylococcus is a group of bacteria, familiarly known as Staph, that can (and do) cause a multitude of diseases. Staph bacteria can cause illness directly by infection (such as in the skin) or indirectly through products they make such as toxins responsible for food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. This disease occurs predominantly in children under 5 years of age.
What are the complications of Staph infections?
Staph infection can be simple and localized, such as with impetigo of the skin. It can, however, become widespread, by infecting the blood. It can thereby spread to various areas of the body, such as the bone, kidneys, or heart. This spreading occurs more commonly in persons with abnormally suppressed immune systems.
Scalded Skin Syndrome
Scalded skin syndrome is a potentially serious side effect of infection with the Staph (Staphylococcus) bacteria that produces a specific protein that loosens the "cement" holding the various layers of the skin together. This allows blister formation and sloughing of the top layer of skin. If it occurs over large body regions it can be deadly (just like a large surface area of the body having been burned). It is necessary to treat scalded skin syndrome with intravenous antibiotics and to protect the skin from allowing dehydration to occur if large areas peel off.