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Staph Infections
Definition of Staph Infections
The word “Staph” is a short form of the word “Staphylococci” which is the name of the bacteria that causes various infections. Staphylococcal infections, commonly referred to as Staph infections are a group of infections caused by the said bacteria. The infections can result in a wide range of infections including skin infections, lung infections, heart infections and blood infections. Most of these infections are caused by a group of Staphylococci bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus. This group of bacteria is responsible for various infections including skin infections, pneumonia, food poisoning, blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. Some staph bacteria are hard to treat using antibiotics due to the resistance they exhibit during treatment. Such bacteria include a group called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (Sherman, 2016). The bacteria are usually carried within people’s skin harmlessly and only cause the infection when it enters the body through broken skin or medical equipment such as catheters.
Statistics and Comorbidities
In every 3 people, 1 person carries the staph bacteria on their skin, although harmlessly. The staph bacteria can be found on the nose or armpit and buttocks surfaces of 25%-30% of healthy adults or people working in healthcare facilities (Sherman, 2016). The infection is much more common in children and young adults. Most of the patients get skin infections because invasive infections are rare to acquire. Research conducted in 2016 shows that every year 1.2 million American patients developed serious staph infection that was resistant to antibiotics (Sherman, 2016). The research also showed that 119,000 patients from US hospitals die because of the resistant bacterium, the MRSA. The research conducted by Association for professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology termed these statistics as a serious wake-up call to all hospital administrators in the country.
Causes of Staph Infections
According to Sause, Buckley, Strohl, Lynch and Torres, (2016), staph infections are caused by the Staph bacteria. Most serious infections are caused by bacteria that come into contact with three groups of people namely: those with a weak immune system, those using medical equipment that goes through their bodies such as catheters and those with severe skin trauma such as very deep wounds. Most people who suffer from serious medical conditions such as Cancer, HIV/ AIDs, and organ failure usually have a lowered level of immunity. Therefore, it is easy for bacteria to cause infections because the body does not have much power in fighting the bacteria. There are hospital patients who are dependent on medical equipment to perform some of the body functions. For instance, people with renal problems may have a urinary catheter inserted into their bladder to empty the urine. Medical equipment may harbor staph bacteria that may end up causing infections when in use by the patient. Furthermore, people with severe skin trauma have an entry point for bacteria to get inside the body and cause invasive infections in the blood and organs. The skin trauma may have been caused by various serious burns and deep wounds.
Hospitals way of dealing with the issue
In 2011, about 722,000 U.S patients are said to have acquired an infection while they were in acute care in the healthcare facilities in the country (Sherman, 2016). Out of the 722,000 people, 75,000 people died due to the effects of the infection. This is the reason why hospitals are stringently dealing with this issue. This is being done through prevention of exposure to the bacteria as much as possible. Hospitals are also collaborating with all health stakeholders such as research centers to find a way of handling antibiotic-resistant staph infections (Sause et al., 2016). In addition, hospitals are teaching patients on how to avoid antibiotic over-use that has been cited as a major health issue in the country and world at large. Furthermore, health researchers are introducing small wireless transmitters to hospitals, where patients wear them and they are able to track the spread of the bacteria.
Rose of Risk Management and Infection Control
Patients are at the highest risk of acquiring a staph infection due to the increased contact with bacteria, low immunity, and dependence on the use of medical equipment. Although MRSA has reduced its prevalence from the previous superbug it had been for many years, it continues to pose a serious public health threat to the community (Sause et al., 2016). This is more so significant in patients and healthcare workers who spend most of their time in healthcare facilities and the environment. In order to control the infection, researchers need to continue tracking the spread of infections using the transmitters that they have introduced, and find ways to keep it from spreading further. Indeed, this can only happen if people understand who has the bacteria or if it is spreading through medical equipment. Only then will the healthcare practitioners effectively and safely contain the infection.
Personal Experience
My friend went to give birth in the hospital. She had to undergo Cesarean Section to help deliver her baby. During and after surgery, she needed to use a urinary catheter to assist in passing urine from the bladder. Two days after surgery, she developed a high fever and had many signs of infection. After blood test was done, she was found to have acquired a staph infection which must have been caused by the medical equipment used. Fortunately, she was treated using antibiotics and she regained her health.
References
Sause, W. E., Buckley, P. T., Strohl, W. R., Lynch, A. S., & Torres, V. J. (2016). Review: antibody-based biologics and their promise to combat Staphylococcus aureus Infections. Trends In Pharmacological Sciences, 37231-241. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2015.11.008
Sherman, C. (2016). Methicillin-resistant staph: Keeping an organism in check; Once a nosocomial infection, MRSA now poses a threat to everyone in the community--with or without exposure to the health-care system. Cortlandt Forum, (3). 74.
