Boils & Carbuncles: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Overview

What are boils and carbuncles

A boil (or furuncle) is a skin infection that is usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (staph). Other bacteria or fungi can also cause boils.

A boil forms a lump that goes deep into the skin. It may have a central “head” filled with pus. Boils usually occur on the face, neck, armpits, buttocks, and thighs, but can appear anywhere on the body. They can be painful.

In most boils, the bacteria also infect hair follicles, the sacs that contain the roots of hair and oil glands. An infection of the hair follicles is called folliculitis. A boil can also develop from a cut in the skin.

A carbuncle is a group of boils located in one area of the body. Carbuncles may have more than one head that fills with pus. Some people can get boils or carbuncles over and over in one spot of the body.

People with certain illnesses like diabetes are more likely to get boils. Another risk factor is having another skin condition such as eczema, or conditions that reduce the skin’s ability to fight germs.

This skin infection can be spread to other people. On rare occasions, it can be serious, and cause infection of the bloodstream, infection of other body parts, or general infection of the body (sepsis). A serious infection with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can also occur.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of a boil?

A boil may start out as a sore, raised area that is pinkish red in color. Over time, the boil may fill with clear liquid or pus, and grow in size.

Symptoms of a boil include the following:

• Swollen, red lump deep in the skin (Sometimes, a hair will grow from it.)
• Painful, especially when touched, and in certain places on the body (such as the nose or ear)
• Size can vary from pea to golf ball
• May develop a central, whitish-yellow “head” that may break and release pus
• May “weep” or ooze clear fluid, or develop a crust
• May spread to surrounding skin, creating a carbuncle

What are the symptoms of carbuncles?

Carbuncles cause a deeper and more serious infection than boils, so their symptoms may be more severe. In addition to the same symptoms as seen in boils, carbuncles may also:

• Cause fever and chills or other symptoms
• Heal more slowly
• Scar the skin

Management and Treatment

How is a boil or carbuncle treated?

A boil or carbuncle should never be squeezed or pricked with a pin or sharp object to release the pus and fluid. This can spread the infection to other parts of the skin.

If left alone, a boil will break and drain on its own over time. In certain cases, a doctor may need to cut into the skin to drain the pus. Once the fluid and pus drains from the boil or carbuncle, it will heal. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics if there is a serious infection.

If you have a boil, you can do the following:

• Apply warm, moist compresses (such as a damp washcloth) several times a day. This can speed healing and relieve some of the pain and pressure caused by the boil. A separate washcloth (and towel) should be used.
• See a healthcare provider if the boil persists or comes back, or if it is located on the spine or on your face.
• If you have a fever or other serious symptoms with the boil, see your doctor. Patients who have diabetes or who have a condition that affects the immune system should see a doctor for the treatment of the boil.

Prevention

How can I prevent a boil or carbuncle?

A boil or carbuncle can happen despite the best hygiene. However, you can prevent boils if you:

• Avoid close contact with someone who has a staph infection, boil, or carbuncle;
• Wash your hands frequently with antibacterial soaps and gels, which can help prevent the spread of bacteria;
• Bathe regularly with soap;
• Don’t share or re-use washcloths, towels, and sheets.

Living With

How can I keep my carbuncles from spreading to others?

If you have a carbuncle:

• Wash your hands often.
• Do not share washcloths and towels with family members.
• Don’t let others lie on your bed sheets.
• Use antibacterial soap, especially if you have touched your carbuncle.
• Do not squeeze or prick the head of your carbuncle.
• Do not hug or have close contact of your carbuncle with another person.
• Carefully bag and dispose of dressings and bandages that cover your carbuncle.

Boils & Carbuncles: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Overview

What are boils and carbuncles

A boil (or furuncle) is a skin infection that is usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (staph). Other bacteria or fungi can also cause boils.

A boil forms a lump that goes deep into the skin. It may have a central “head” filled with pus. Boils usually occur on the face, neck, armpits, buttocks, and thighs, but can appear anywhere on the body. They can be painful.

In most boils, the bacteria also infect hair follicles, the sacs that contain the roots of hair and oil glands. An infection of the hair follicles is called folliculitis. A boil can also develop from a cut in the skin.

A carbuncle is a group of boils located in one area of the body. Carbuncles may have more than one head that fills with pus. Some people can get boils or carbuncles over and over in one spot of the body.

People with certain illnesses like diabetes are more likely to get boils. Another risk factor is having another skin condition such as eczema, or conditions that reduce the skin’s ability to fight germs.

This skin infection can be spread to other people. On rare occasions, it can be serious, and cause infection of the bloodstream, infection of other body parts, or general infection of the body (sepsis). A serious infection with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can also occur.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of a boil?

A boil may start out as a sore, raised area that is pinkish red in color. Over time, the boil may fill with clear liquid or pus, and grow in size.

Symptoms of a boil include the following:

• Swollen, red lump deep in the skin (Sometimes, a hair will grow from it.)
• Painful, especially when touched, and in certain places on the body (such as the nose or ear)
• Size can vary from pea to golf ball
• May develop a central, whitish-yellow “head” that may break and release pus
• May “weep” or ooze clear fluid, or develop a crust
• May spread to surrounding skin, creating a carbuncle

What are the symptoms of carbuncles?

Carbuncles cause a deeper and more serious infection than boils, so their symptoms may be more severe. In addition to the same symptoms as seen in boils, carbuncles may also:

• Cause fever and chills or other symptoms
• Heal more slowly
• Scar the skin

Management and Treatment

How is a boil or carbuncle treated?

A boil or carbuncle should never be squeezed or pricked with a pin or sharp object to release the pus and fluid. This can spread the infection to other parts of the skin.

If left alone, a boil will break and drain on its own over time. In certain cases, a doctor may need to cut into the skin to drain the pus. Once the fluid and pus drains from the boil or carbuncle, it will heal. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics if there is a serious infection.

If you have a boil, you can do the following:

• Apply warm, moist compresses (such as a damp washcloth) several times a day. This can speed healing and relieve some of the pain and pressure caused by the boil. A separate washcloth (and towel) should be used.
• See a healthcare provider if the boil persists or comes back, or if it is located on the spine or on your face.
• If you have a fever or other serious symptoms with the boil, see your doctor. Patients who have diabetes or who have a condition that affects the immune system should see a doctor for the treatment of the boil.

Prevention

How can I prevent a boil or carbuncle?

A boil or carbuncle can happen despite the best hygiene. However, you can prevent boils if you:

• Avoid close contact with someone who has a staph infection, boil, or carbuncle;
• Wash your hands frequently with antibacterial soaps and gels, which can help prevent the spread of bacteria;
• Bathe regularly with soap;
• Don’t share or re-use washcloths, towels, and sheets.

Living With

How can I keep my carbuncles from spreading to others?

If you have a carbuncle:

• Wash your hands often.
• Do not share washcloths and towels with family members.
• Don’t let others lie on your bed sheets.
• Use antibacterial soap, especially if you have touched your carbuncle.
• Do not squeeze or prick the head of your carbuncle.
• Do not hug or have close contact of your carbuncle with another person.
• Carefully bag and dispose of dressings and bandages that cover your carbuncle.

Boils & Carbuncles: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Overview

What are boils and carbuncles

A boil (or furuncle) is a skin infection that is usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (staph). Other bacteria or fungi can also cause boils.

A boil forms a lump that goes deep into the skin. It may have a central “head” filled with pus. Boils usually occur on the face, neck, armpits, buttocks, and thighs, but can appear anywhere on the body. They can be painful.

In most boils, the bacteria also infect hair follicles, the sacs that contain the roots of hair and oil glands. An infection of the hair follicles is called folliculitis. A boil can also develop from a cut in the skin.

A carbuncle is a group of boils located in one area of the body. Carbuncles may have more than one head that fills with pus. Some people can get boils or carbuncles over and over in one spot of the body.

People with certain illnesses like diabetes are more likely to get boils. Another risk factor is having another skin condition such as eczema, or conditions that reduce the skin’s ability to fight germs.

This skin infection can be spread to other people. On rare occasions, it can be serious, and cause infection of the bloodstream, infection of other body parts, or general infection of the body (sepsis). A serious infection with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can also occur.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of a boil?

A boil may start out as a sore, raised area that is pinkish red in color. Over time, the boil may fill with clear liquid or pus, and grow in size.

Symptoms of a boil include the following:

• Swollen, red lump deep in the skin (Sometimes, a hair will grow from it.)
• Painful, especially when touched, and in certain places on the body (such as the nose or ear)
• Size can vary from pea to golf ball
• May develop a central, whitish-yellow “head” that may break and release pus
• May “weep” or ooze clear fluid, or develop a crust
• May spread to surrounding skin, creating a carbuncle

What are the symptoms of carbuncles?

Carbuncles cause a deeper and more serious infection than boils, so their symptoms may be more severe. In addition to the same symptoms as seen in boils, carbuncles may also:

• Cause fever and chills or other symptoms
• Heal more slowly
• Scar the skin

Management and Treatment

How is a boil or carbuncle treated?

A boil or carbuncle should never be squeezed or pricked with a pin or sharp object to release the pus and fluid. This can spread the infection to other parts of the skin.

If left alone, a boil will break and drain on its own over time. In certain cases, a doctor may need to cut into the skin to drain the pus. Once the fluid and pus drains from the boil or carbuncle, it will heal. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics if there is a serious infection.

If you have a boil, you can do the following:

• Apply warm, moist compresses (such as a damp washcloth) several times a day. This can speed healing and relieve some of the pain and pressure caused by the boil. A separate washcloth (and towel) should be used.
• See a healthcare provider if the boil persists or comes back, or if it is located on the spine or on your face.
• If you have a fever or other serious symptoms with the boil, see your doctor. Patients who have diabetes or who have a condition that affects the immune system should see a doctor for the treatment of the boil.

Prevention

How can I prevent a boil or carbuncle?

A boil or carbuncle can happen despite the best hygiene. However, you can prevent boils if you:

• Avoid close contact with someone who has a staph infection, boil, or carbuncle;
• Wash your hands frequently with antibacterial soaps and gels, which can help prevent the spread of bacteria;
• Bathe regularly with soap;
• Don’t share or re-use washcloths, towels, and sheets.

Living With

How can I keep my carbuncles from spreading to others?

If you have a carbuncle:

• Wash your hands often.
• Do not share washcloths and towels with family members.
• Don’t let others lie on your bed sheets.
• Use antibacterial soap, especially if you have touched your carbuncle.
• Do not squeeze or prick the head of your carbuncle.
• Do not hug or have close contact of your carbuncle with another person.
• Carefully bag and dispose of dressings and bandages that cover your carbuncle.

Boil | DermNet NZ

Author: Dr Amanda Oakley Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand. Updated by Dr Amanda Oakley; Vanessa Ngan, Staff Writer; June 2014. Latest update by Dr Jannet Gomez, Postgraduate Student in Clinical Dermatology, Queen Mary University, London, United Kingdom, January 2016.

What is a boil?

A boil (also called a furuncle) is a deep form of bacterial folliculitis (infection of a hair follicle).

What are the clinical features of a boil?

Boils present as one or more tender red spots, lumps or pustules. Careful inspection reveals that the boil is centred on a hair follicle. A boil is a deep form of bacterial folliculitis; superficial folliculitis is sometimes present at the same time. Staphylococcus aureus can be cultured from the skin lesions.

If there are multiple heads, the lesion is called a carbuncle. Large boils form abscesses, defined as an accumulation of pus within a cavity. Cellulitis may also occur, ie, infection of the surrounding tissues, and this may cause fever and illness.

Boils

Why do boils occur?

Most people with boils are otherwise healthy and have good personal hygiene. They do however carry Staphylococcus aureus on the surface of their skin (staphylococcal carrier state). Why this occurs is usually not known, but it is estimated that 10–20% of the population are staphylococcal carriers.

Staphylococcus aureus is most commonly carried in the nostrils, armpits, between the legs and in the cleft between the buttocks. It may be transferred to other sites from the nostrils via the finger nails.

Tiny nicks or grazes or something rubbing against the skin can innoculate the bacteria into the wall of a hair follicle which is a weak point in the skin’s defences. Once innoculated, the bacteria cause a boil which goes on to run its usual course of about 10 days.

Although most people with boils are otherwise healthy, boils are sometimes related to immune deficiency, anaemia, diabetes, smoking or iron deficiency.

What is the treatment for a boil?

Medical treatment of boils

Treatment of boils depends on their severity. Your doctor may give you specific advice and medical treatment, some are listed below:

• Antiseptic or antibacterial soap in your daily bath or shower for a week then twice weekly for several weeks. The cleanser may cause a little dryness.
• Use a hand sanitiser regularly to reduce the chance of reinfecting yourself or others with contaminated hands.
• Antiseptic or antibiotic ointment or gel to apply to the inside of the nostrils.
• Wipe the entire skin surface daily for a week with 70% isopropyl alcohol in water (this will make the skin dry).
• Apply a topical antiseptic such as povidone iodine or chlorhexidine cream to the boils and cover with a square of gauze.
• Your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic (usually the penicillin antibiotic flucloxacillin), sometimes for several weeks.
• Other members of the family with boils should also follow a skin cleansing regime. Your doctor may also advise the family to apply topical antibiotic to their nostrils in case they are Staphylococcus aureus carriers as well.
• If the boils fail to clear up, a swab should be taken for microbiological culture, in case of methicillin (meticillin) resistant staphylococci.
• Sometimes, special antibiotics may be prescribed on the recommendation of a specialist, including fusidic acid, clindamycin, rifampicin and cephalosporins.

General measures to prevent boils

• Consult your doctor about your general health.
• If you are overweight, try to reduce your weight; take regular exercise.
• Follow a balanced healthy diet with meat, plenty of fruit and vegetables.
• Avoid smoking.
• Wash your whole body once a day with soap or cleanser and water. Wash your hands several times daily or use antiseptic hand rubs.
• Don’t share your flannel or towel with other family members.
• Maintain a clean handkerchief and don’t pick your nose!
• Change your underclothes and night attire regularly.
• Consider modifying leisure activities that cause sweating and friction from clothing, such as squash and jogging.
• If you are iron deficient, a course of iron tablets may help reduce infection.
• 1000 mg of vitamin C each day has also been advocated to improve deficient neutrophil function.

References

• Shallcross LJ, Hayward AC, Johnson AM, Petersen I. Incidence and recurrence of boils and abscesses within the first year: a cohort study in UK primary care. Br J Gen Pract. 2015 Oct;65(639):e668–76. doi: 10.3399/bjgp15X686929. PubMed PMID: 26412844; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4582880.

On DermNet NZ

Other websites

Books about skin diseases

MRSA and the Workplace | NIOSH

Source: CDC MRSA photos

Overview

Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as “staph,” is a type of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes, staph can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor (such as pustules and boils) and can be treated without antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections (such as skin and soft tissue wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia).

Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) refers to types of staph that are resistant to a type of antibiotic methicillin. MRSA is often resistant to other antibiotics, as well. While 33% of the population is colonized with staph (meaning that bacteria are present, but not causing an infection with staph), approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.

Workers who are in frequent contact with MRSA and staph-infected people and animals are at risk of infection. These included those in hospitals and healthcare facilities, correctional facilities, daycare facilities, livestock settings, and veterinary clinics.

FAQs for the Workplace

NOTE: This information is provided for general workplaces, not healthcare facilities. Healthcare workers should refer to information found at the following links: /mrsa/index.html and /mrsa/healthcare/index.html .

Can I get MRSA from my work?

MRSA is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces (e.g., towels, used bandages) that have come into contact with someone else’s infected site. Animals with MRSA can also transfer the infection to people who frequently handle them. However, people are usually the originating source of the infection in animals.

MRSA skin infections can occur in any type of workplace. However, some workplace settings have factors that make it easier for MRSA to be transmitted. These factors, referred to as the 5 C’s, are as follows: Crowding, frequent skin-to-skin Contact, Compromised skin (i.e., cuts or abrasions), Contaminated items and surfaces, and lack of Cleanliness. Locations where the 5 C’s are common include schools, dormitories, military barracks, athletic gyms, households, correctional facilities, daycare centers, and areas where animal handling is common, such as veterinary clinics and livestock settings.

If I have MRSA, can I go to work?

Unless directed by a healthcare provider, workers with MRSA infections should not be routinely excluded from going to work.

Exclusion from work should be reserved for those with wound drainage (“pus”) that cannot be properly covered and contained with a clean, dry bandage and for those who cannot maintain good hygiene practices.

Workers with active infections should be excluded from activities where skin-to-skin contact with the affected skin area is likely to occur until their infections are healed.

What should I do if I think I have a staph or MRSA infection?

See your healthcare provider and follow your healthcare provider’s advice about returning to work.

If I have staph, or a MRSA skin infection, what can I do to prevent the spread of MRSA at work and at home?

You can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by following these steps:

• Cover your wound. Keep areas of the skin affected by MRSA covered. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.
• Clean your hands.You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound.
• Do not share personal items.Avoid sharing personal items such as uniforms, personal protective equipment, clothing, towels, washcloths or razors that may have had contact with the infected wound or bandage.
• Talk to your doctor.Tell any healthcare providers who treat you that you have or had a staph or MRSA skin infection.

What should I do if I suspect that my uniform, clothing, personal protective equipment or workstation has become contaminated with MRSA?

Wash uniforms, clothing, sheets and towels that become soiled with water and laundry detergent. Drying clothes in a hot dryer, rather than air-drying, also helps kill bacteria in clothes. Use a dryer to dry clothes completely. Wash clothing according to manufacturer’s instructions on the label.

Cleaning contaminated equipment and surfaces with detergent-based cleaners or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectants is effective at removing MRSA from the environment. Check the disinfectant product’s label on the back of the container. Most, if not all, disinfectant manufacturers will provide a list of microorganisms on their label that their product can destroy. Because cleaners and disinfectants can be irritating and exposure has been associated with health problems such as asthma, it is important to read the instruction labels on all cleaners to make sure they are used safely and appropriately. Where disinfection is concerned, more is not necessarily better. EPA has guidance for employers for less hazardous antimicrobial productsexternal icon

Additional informationpdf iconexternal icon is available on effective infection-control practices while minimizing the use of, and exposure to, toxic products in schools written by the National Cleaning for Healthier Schools and Infection Control Workgroup.

Environmental cleaners and disinfectants should not be used to treat infections. The EPA provides a list of EPA-registered products effective against MRSA:  http://epa.gov/oppad001/list_h_mrsa_vre.pdfpdf iconexternal icon.

What can my boss (employers) do to prevent the spread of staph or MRSA at the workplace?

• Place importance on worker safety and health protection in the workplace
• Ensure the availability of adequate facilities and supplies that encourage workers to practice good hygiene
• Ensure that routine housekeeping in the workplace is followed
• Ensure that contaminated equipment and surfaces are cleaned with detergent-based cleaners or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectants
• Encourage workers to seek early treatment of possible infections from their healthcare provider

Other FAQs About MRSA

Signs and Symptoms

What does a staph or MRSA infection look like?

Staph bacteria, including MRSA, can cause skin infections that may look like a pimple or boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or skin and soft tissue wound infections.

Source: CDC MRSA photos

Prevention

How can I prevent staph or MRSA skin infections?

Practice good hygiene:

• Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
• Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as uniforms and personal protective equipment.
• Avoid use of whirlpools and swimming pools if you have MRSA

Treatment

Are staph and MRSA infections treatable?

Yes. Many staph skin infections may be treated by draining the abscess or boil and may not require antibiotics. Drainage of skin boils or abscesses should only be done by a healthcare provider. Do not try to drain the infection yourself.

However, some staph and MRSA infections are treated with antibiotics. If you are given an antibiotic, take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better, unless your doctor tells you to stop taking it. Do not share antibiotics with other people or save unfinished antibiotics to use at another time.

If after visiting your healthcare provider the infection is not getting better after 48 hours, contact them again. If other people you know or live with get the same infection tell them to go to their healthcare provider. MRSA skin infections can develop into more serious infections.

Preventing the Spread of MRSA in Correctional Facilities

NIOSH has created 14 easy-to-read publications on how to stop the spread of MRSA in correctional facilities. The title of each publication indicates the target audience. Conditions at correctional facilities can be conducive to the spread of MRSA, and several outbreaks have been reported. The materials cover a number of topics, including basic facts about MRSA, what to do if you have a skin infection, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, environmental sanitation, laundry, and not sharing personal items.

Washing Your Hands Stops MRSA (Inmates)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-113 (January 2013)
En Español /spanish/niosh/docs/2013-113_sp/

Washing Your Hands Stops MRSA (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-114 (January 2013)

Use Hand Sanitizer, Bottle (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-115 (January 2013

Use Hand Sanitizer, Wall-Mounted Dispenser (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-116 (January 2013)

What is MRSA? (Correctional Officers)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-117 (January 2013)

What is MRSA? (Inmates)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-118 (January 2013)
En Español /spanish/niosh/docs/2013-118_sp/

What is MRSA? (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-119 (January 2013)

Managers: Protect Correctional Staff from MRSA
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-120 (January 2013)

Managers’ Checklist for Protecting Correctional Staff from MRSA
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-121 (January 2013)

Handle Laundry Safely (Correctional Facilities)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-122 (January 2013)
En Español/spanish/niosh/docs/2013-122_sp/

Use Personal Protective Equipment (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-123 (January 2013)

MRSA Can Live on High-Touch Surfaces (Correctional Facilities)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-124 (January 2013)

Sharing Personal Items Can Spread MRSA (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-125 (January 2013)

If You Have a MRSA Infection (Correctional Staff)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-126 (January 2013)

Additional Resources

MRSA and the Workplace
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-112 (January 2013)
This two-page factsheet summarizes information about MRSA and the workplace.

CDC MRSA Website

Environmental Cleaning and Disinfecting for MRSA

OSHA Hospital eTool: MRSAexternal icon

Veterinary Health Care and the Workplace

NIH Research on MRSAexternal icon

Handwashing Posters from Washington Department of Healthexternal icon

PubMed search for Community-Associated MRSA Infectionsexternal icon

Boil

Definition

• Staph skin infection causing a painful red lump in the skin

Call or Return If

• Fever occurs
• Redness spreads beyond the boil
• Boil becomes over 2 inches (5 cm) across
• Boil comes to a head (soft pus-colored center)
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

About This Topic

Symptoms

• Bright red lump (swelling) in the skin.
• Painful, even when not being touched.
• Usually 1/2 to 1 inch across (1 to 2 cm).
• After about a week, the center of the boil becomes filled with pus. The center becomes soft and mushy.
• The skin over the boil then develops a large pimple. This is known as “coming to a head”.

Cause

• A boil is an infection of a hair follicle (skin pore).
• Boils are caused by the Staph bacteria.
• Friction from tight clothing is a risk factor. Examples are the groin, armpit, buttock, thigh or waist.
• Shaving is another risk factor. Examples are shaving the face, legs, armpits or pubic hair.

Prevention of Boils

• Handwashing is the key to prevention of Staph infections. Have everyone in the home wash their hands often with an antibacterial soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Have everyone shower daily with an antibacterial soap. Showers are best because baths still leave many Staph bacteria on the skin.
• Discourage nose picking. 30% of people have Staph bacteria present in their nose.
• When shaving anywhere on the body, never try to shave too close. Reason: It causes small cuts that allow Staph bacteria to enter the skin.

Prevention- Bleach Baths for Recurrent Boils

• Some doctors recommend bleach baths to prevent boils from coming back.
• Use 1/2 cup (120 ml) of regular bleach per 1 full bathtub of water.
• Soak for 10 minutes twice weekly.
• This concentration of bleach is similar to a swimming pool.

After Care Advice

Overview:

• A boil is a Staph infection of a hair follicle.
• It can become a recurrent problem.
• It is not a serious infection, but it needs a doctor for treatment.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Moist Heat:

• Heat can help bring the boil “to a head” so it can be drained.
• Apply a warm, wet washcloth to the boil for 15 minutes 3 times a day.

Pain Medicine:

• Until it drains, all boils are painful.
• To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) OR ibuprofen. Use as needed.

Opening the Boil – Done Only By A Doctor:

• The main treatment of boils is to open them and drain the pus.
• Then, boils will usually heal on their own.
• Draining the boil must always be done in a medical setting.

Caution – Do Not Squeeze:

• Do not squeeze a boil or try to open a boil yourself.
• Reason: These can force bacteria into the bloodstream or cause more boils.
• Squeezing a boil on the face can be very dangerous.

Antibiotics By Mouth:

• Antibiotics may or may not be helpful. Your doctor will decide.
• If prescribed, take the antibiotic as directed.

Small Red Lump:

• A small red lump is most often a minor infection of a hair follicle.
• It may or may not become a boil.
• Use an antibiotic ointment to keep it from becoming larger. No prescription is needed.
• Apply it to the red lump 3 times per day.
• Call Back If: The small red lump becomes larger.

Pus Precautions:

• Pus or other drainage from an open boil contains lots of Staph bacteria.
• Once a boil is opened it will drain pus for 3 to 4 days. Then it will slowly heal up.
• Cover all draining boils with a clean, dry bandage. Usually, a 4 by 4 inch gauze pad and tape is used.
• Change the bandage twice daily.
• Clean the skin around the boil with an antibacterial soap each time.
• Carefully dispose of the bandage into the regular trash.

What to Expect:

• Without treatment, the body will gradually wall off the Staph infection.
• After about a week, the center of the boil will fill with pus. It will become soft.
• The skin over the boil then develops a large pimple. This is known as “coming to a head”.
• The boil is now ready for draining by your doctor.
• Without draining, it will open and drain by itself in 3 or 4 days.

Return to School or Child Care:

• Closed boils cannot spread to others.
• Children with a closed boil can attend school or child care.
• The pus or drainage in open boils can spread infection to others.
• For open boils, the drainage needs to be covered completely with a dry bandage. If not, stay home until it heals up (usually 1 week).

Return to Sports:

• Children with a closed boil may be able to play sports.
• Children with an open boil cannot return to contact sports until drainage has stopped.
• Check with the team’s trainer if there is one.

Boils and carbuncles – Treatment

Most boils get better without needing medical treatment.

Apply a warm, moist face cloth to the boil for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day.

The heat increases the amount of blood circulating around the boil. This sends more infection-fighting white blood cells to the area.

When the boil bursts, cover it with sterile gauze or a dressing to prevent the spread of infection. Then wash your hands thoroughly using hot water and soap.

Information:

Never squeeze or pierce a boil because it could spread the infection.

You can use over-the-counter painkillers to help relieve any pain caused by the boil. For example, paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Draining boils

If your boil does not heal, your GP may decide to drain it, or refer you to hospital to have this done. They’ll usually numb the area first and then use a sterile needle or scalpel to pierce the boil.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are usually recommended for all cases of carbuncles if you

• have a high temperature
• develop a secondary infection, such as cellulitis
• have a boil on your face – facial boils have a higher risk of causing complications
• are in severe pain and discomfort

Information:

Finish the course of antibiotics even if the boil goes away. If you do not, the infection could return.

Treating recurring boils and carbuncles

If you keep getting boils or carbuncles, you’re likely to need further treatment.

Most people who keep getting boils are carriers of staphylococcus aureus (staph bacteria). This means they have staph bacteria living on their skin or inside their nose.

Treatment will depend on where the bacteria are on your body.

An antiseptic soap can kill the bacteria on the skin.

You can use a prescribed antiseptic cream to treat bacteria in the nose.  

Complications of boils and carbuncles

Most boils and carbuncles do not cause further problems. But some people develop a secondary infection.

This can be a minor but painful infection of the deeper layer of skin, such as cellulitis. It can also be a more serious condition, such as sepsis.

Larger boils and carbuncles can also lead to scarring.

90,000 Symptoms and treatment of Staphylococcus aureus in adults and children

Staphylococcus aureus – signs and treatment. Symptoms of Staphylococcus aureus in the intestine in adults

Staphylococcus aureus is an aerobic bacterium characterized by a spherical shape and immobility. It can provoke the development of various diseases in children. It is extremely rare in adults. An analysis for Staphylococcus aureus will help to identify its presence in the environment – on toys and dishes, bedding and the skin of a person, both completely healthy and sick.

Classification of infection

In medicine, two forms of staphylococcal infection are distinguished – generalized and focal. In the first case, we are talking about sepsis, when all systems and organs are infected with staphylococcus. Sepsis is a dangerous condition that often ends in death, even against the background of the provision of qualified medical care.

The focal form of staphylococcal infection is more often diagnosed when diseases of the skin, bone tissue, joints are detected.Separately, doctors isolate food poisoning with toxins – with the characteristic symptoms of Staphylococcus aureus in the intestines in adults.

Staphylococcal infection can be mild, moderate and severe, acute or chronic.

Symptoms of staphylococcal infection

Aerobic bacteria can be found on the skin surface even in a healthy person, so you should not be surprised at its presence. The infection will develop only if provoking factors “work” – reduced immunity, viral disease, surgery, trauma, genital infection, and so on. It is generally accepted that after a laboratory study of the cultures of biomaterial taken from different parts of the body, it is possible to identify the true threat of the presence of staphylococcus. Doctors distinguish several degrees of the presence of colonies of aerobic bacteria. If colonies are found within 10, and the degree is 6, then this is the highest limit of the norm. Higher rates will indicate a pronounced pathology. Having received the result of the analysis “Staphylococcus aureus on the skin 10 to grade 5”, there is no need to worry – the treatment will be short-lived and always with a positive result.

Diseases caused by the aerobic bacterium in question do not show any distinguishing features. If Staphylococcus aureus affects the throat, then a person may develop tonsillitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis, which are characterized by a severe course with a high body temperature and severe weakness. Diseases of the respiratory group with frequent relapses are considered the main sign of the presence of bacteria in the pharynx.

In addition, Staphylococcus aureus can be detected:

• in bone tissue – the infection penetrates with fractures or severe wounds;
• in boils, carbuncles and abscesses – as a rule, the hair follicle becomes infected, and the process of inflammation starts again and again even against the background of the treatment;
• on the skin – the child develops rashes, dermatitis.

Staphylococcus aureus is often detected in infants in feces. It can be diagnosed even in the hospital – infection occurs during difficult childbirth against the background of reduced immunity in premature babies or babies with congenital pathologies.

The most serious condition of an aerobic bacterial infection is toxic shock. It is characterized by characteristic symptoms – a sharp rise in temperature to critical levels, nausea, acute pain in the head, a rash on the body, the appearance of purulent discharge from existing wounds.In this case, no research is carried out – only Staphylococcus aureus can cause this condition. Urgent therapy is prescribed.

Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus

Antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus are not always effective, therefore they are prescribed only at the initial stage of the development of the disease. Only antibiotics of the last generation will be effective – cephalosporins and other non-penicillin series.

Most often, doctors use combination therapy.If treatment of Staphylococcus aureus in a child’s throat is required, then the following will be prescribed:

• treatment of the mucous membrane with antiseptic solutions – chlorophyllipt;
• immunostimulating drugs;
• antistaphylococcal bacteriophage.

Many are interested in how to cure Staphylococcus aureus in the pharynx, which causes frequent tonsillitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis. You cannot do without doctor’s prescriptions – the usual medications do not help or give a short-term effect of recovery.The specialist will give recommendations on the treatment of the pharyngeal mucosa with antiseptic solutions, conduct a study on the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics and make medications.

Most often, colonies of the bacteria in question are found in the nose – they can stay there for years and not cause any diseases. If a child often catches a cold, has a lag in growth and development, then chronic pathologies cannot be avoided. How to treat Staphylococcus aureus in the nose in children:

• hospitalize the child in a hospital;
• carry out daily sanitation of the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa, as there is a high risk of infection spread;
• Follow the doctor’s prescriptions to relieve severe symptoms.

Regardless of which organ is affected by staphylococcus, vitamins, immunomodulators and probiotics will be prescribed to restore the intestinal microflora.

The duration of treatment for staphylococcal infection is from 7 to 30 days, which depends on the timely diagnosis of the disease and the detection of large colonies of bacteria. If the therapy is carried out in strict observance of the prescriptions of the attending physician, then the prognosis for the disease is favorable.

More information about how Staphylococcus aureus is transmitted and what symptoms indicate the presence of aerobic bacteria can be found on our Dobrobut website.com.

Staphylococcal infection – treatment, symptoms, causes of the disease, first signs

Description

Staphylococcal infection is a large and diverse group of diseases that are caused by bacteria of the staphylococcus genus, have codes according to ICD A05.0, A41.0, A41. 1, A41.2, A48.3. It is diagnosed mainly in children and debilitated patients. May affect skin, soft tissue, bones, joints and internal organs. Pathogens provoke boils, abscesses, wound suppuration, meningitis, endocarditis, pneumonia, food poisoning and other pathologies.They become the cause of the development of sepsis and severe nosocomial infections.

Staphylococci are spherical gram-positive microorganisms (cocci) from the Micrococcaceae family. They can reproduce in both oxygen and anoxic environments. They remain viable for a long time in adverse conditions, resistant to heat, freezing, sunlight, alcohol and chlorine-containing antiseptics. They die when treated with hydrogen peroxide, prolonged boiling.The greatest clinical significance is Staphylococcus aureus, less often the disease is caused by epidermal and saprophytic staphylococci.

Sources of infection are both patients suffering from any form of staphylococcal infection and healthy carriers. Asymptomatic carriage is detected in 20-30% of healthy people, usually the bacterium is found in the nasal passages. Health workers, who often have antibiotic-resistant strains, are especially dangerous as distributors.Sometimes germs enter the patient’s body from cows, dogs, pigs or horses.

Contact and airborne transmission routes of the pathogen prevail. Alimentary contamination is possible through dairy products or confectionery. In 70-80% of staphylococci are resistant to antibiotics from the penicillin group. These microbes are often not affected by tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and chloramphenicol (chloramphenicol and analogs).

Staphylococci enter the body through mucous membranes, wounds, abrasions and scratches.Foci in the internal organs are formed when bacteria spread with blood. With alimentary infection, the amount of toxins matters, foodborne toxic infections occur when eating foods abundantly seeded with staphylococcus.

The onset of the disease is facilitated by a weakening of the body and a decrease in immunity. Staphylococcal infection is more often diagnosed in children during the first 3 years of life. It is a significant cause of the development of nosocomial infection in people suffering from endocrine and severe somatic diseases, viral infections, and various immunodeficiencies.The likelihood of pathology increases with prolonged use of antibiotics, immunosuppressants and hormonal drugs, X-ray therapy and chemotherapy.

Symptoms

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Manifestations of staphylococcal infection are determined by the localization of the pathological process.

Soft tissue affections

For boils, carbuncles, hydradenitis, the formation of a focus of bluish-purple color is characteristic. After 1-3 days, the pains become twitching, throbbing, depriving of night sleep.Hyperthermia, intoxication syndrome are possible. After opening the abscess, the condition improves.

An abscess is a purulent focus bounded by a capsule. With phlegmon, the process spreads over the body or limb. The condition with abscesses and phlegmon is moderate or severe, there is a fever, severe intoxication. Panaritium affects the fingers, both mild superficial forms (paronychia, subcutaneous panaritium) and severe lesions (tendon, articular, bone panaritium) are possible.

In newborns, pemphigus, pyoderma, generalized scarlet fever-like rash, local bullous impetigo develop. The source of infection is often the umbilical wound. There is a detachment of the epithelium, the formation of merging blisters filled with a transparent sterile liquid.

ENT organs and bronchopulmonary system

With the defeat of the tonsils, staphylococcal infection causes a banal acute angina, which subsequently sometimes turns into chronic tonsillitis.Sinusitis and tracheitis usually complicate respiratory viral infections.

Pneumonia of staphylococcal etiology is rarely detected. For this form of pneumonia, a severe course, a bright intoxication syndrome, breathing disorders, severe shortness of breath are typical. Pathology can be complicated by pleural empyema and lung abscess, which pose a serious threat to the patient’s life.

Nervous system and senses

Purulent meningitis develops as a result of the penetration of staphylococcal infection from the paranasal sinuses, boils and wounds on the face.It is accompanied by neurological disorders, meningeal symptoms, epileptic seizures, and disorders of consciousness.

Otitis externa and otitis media occur against the background of sinusitis, tonsillitis, and other ENT diseases caused by staphylococcus. The disease is manifested by pain, purulent discharge, hearing loss, and the appearance of extraneous noise. Patients with staphylococcal conjunctivitis complain of cramps, lacrimation. During the night, purulent discharge accumulates and sticks together the eyelashes.

Bones and Joints

Staphylococcal osteomyelitis usually has a hematogenous character, develops in children, more often affects the humerus, femur, tibia.Against the background of intoxication and hyperthermia, intolerable tearing, twisting, twitching pains appear, aggravated by the slightest movements. When the abscess breaks out beyond the bone, the phlegmon of the surrounding tissues develops, which opens outward with the formation of a fistula.

Purulent arthritis is a complication of osteomyelitis, staphylococcal soft tissue infection. Patients are worried about sharp shooting or throbbing pain sensations. The joint swells, turns red. Movement becomes impossible due to pain.Arthritis and osteomyelitis are characterized by chills, severe hyperthermia, and fatigue. Consciousness disturbances are possible.

Cardiovascular system

Purulent pericarditis, as a rule, occurs secondarily when the infection spreads in patients with pneumonia, lung abscess, pleural empyema. Due to the compression of the heart muscle by pus accumulated in the heart bag, cardiac disorders appear: pain, tachycardia, cyanosis of the skin, excruciating shortness of breath. Cardiac tamponade is possible.

Staphylococcal endocarditis is more often diagnosed after open heart surgery. It is manifested by an increase in body temperature, weakness, cough, shortness of breath, chest pains. Damage to the valves leads to the development of acquired heart defects and heart failure. Phlebitis complicates the course of abscesses and infected wounds. The vein is painful, tense, visible under the skin in the form of a red stripe.

Urinary and genital organs

The most formidable diseases of the genitourinary system caused by staphylococci are acute purulent pyelonephritis, kidney abscess, pyonephrosis, endometritis, pyometra.Staphylococcal infection enters the kidneys or uterus by hematogenous or ascending route – through the urethra, bladder, vagina. Pains, intoxication, chills, specific discharge, changes in urine are noted.

Digestive system

The most common type of staphylococcal gastrointestinal infection is food toxicosis. It occurs when eating foods containing a large amount of staphylococcal toxins. It develops in just 1-2 hours after eating. It proceeds with nausea, vomiting, weakness, a feeling of bubbling in the abdomen, diarrhea, symptoms of intoxication.Dehydration is possible.

Staphylococcal sepsis

Infection of the blood can complicate the course of any staphylococcal infection. It is more often detected with purulent lesions of the lungs, heart and kidneys, large foci in soft tissues, bones and joints. Severe chills, wave-like fever are observed. Facial features are sharpened, the skin becomes gray or yellowish. Consciousness is impaired.

The functions of internal organs suffer, cardiovascular, respiratory and renal failure develops.The appearance of secondary purulent foci is possible. The most serious complication of sepsis is infectious-toxic shock, which in 90% ends with the death of the patient.

Diagnostics

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The leading role in the diagnosis of staphylococcal infection of any localization is played by the results of laboratory tests of smears, washings, sputum, and wound discharge. The following methods apply:

• Bacterioscopy . The material is stained and examined under a microscope.Immobile spherical bacteria are found, which are grouped in 2-3 pieces, forming a typical picture of a grape bunch.
• Microbiological examination . The material is inoculated on nutrient media, incubated for 1 day. When typical colonies are found, a bacterioscopy is done, the rest of the colony is subcultured and kept for another 3 days to clarify the type of pathogen and determine antibiotic sensitivity.
• Serological Techniques .Shown in chronic forms of staphylococcal infection. RNGA or a neutralization reaction is performed more often. Less commonly, ELISA is performed.

The plan of other diagnostic measures is determined by the localization of the infectious focus. According to indications, an x-ray of the bones of the extremities or chest, bronchoscopy, ECG, echocardiography, lumbar puncture, and other studies are prescribed. To assess the general condition of the body and the safety of the functions of internal organs, general and biochemical analyzes of blood and urine are used.

Treatment

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Treatment can be conservative or operative. The plan of therapeutic measures depends on the location and severity of the process. With limited skin lesions, uncomplicated ENT pathologies, a mild form of food toxicoinfection, symptomatic therapy is indicated for adults and older children, patients are observed on an outpatient basis.

In severe forms of staphylococcal infection, all patients are hospitalized regardless of age.Newborns, especially premature babies, are sent to the hospital even with mild symptoms. A prerequisite for detecting staphylococcus is isolation for 1 week to prevent the spread of nosocomial infection.

As part of conservative treatment, antibiotic therapy and immunocorrection are carried out, and specific anti-staphylococcal drugs are administered. If necessary, perform surgical operations and manipulations: opening and drainage of purulent foci, excision of necrotic tissues, dressings, and rinsing of cavities with antiseptic solutions.In severe cases, massive infusion therapy is indicated, treatment in the intensive care unit.

In case of food toxicoinfections, the stomach is washed, an abundant drink is prescribed, and intravenous infusions are made to restore the water-salt balance.

Medicines

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For the treatment of staphylococcal infection, drugs of the following groups are used:

• Antibiotics . At the initial stage, semisynthetic penicillins or cephalosporins are prescribed intramuscularly.With sepsis, meningitis, lung abscess, and other severe pathologies, 2 antibiotics are administered in maximum doses intravenously. After receiving the results of the microbiological study, the antibiotic therapy regimen is adjusted taking into account the sensitivity of the pathogen.
• Hyperimmune antistaphylococcal immunoglobulin . Recommended for generalization of the process, severe forms of staphylococcal infection, especially in young children. The medication is injected intramuscularly every day or every other day.
• Hyperimmune antistaphylococcal plasma . The preparation contains antibodies to staphylococcus. Intravenous administration is carried out at intervals of 1-3 days.
• Staphylococcal toxoid . It is necessary for a prolonged course of sepsis, pneumonia and skin infections due to a decrease in the body’s immune forces. Promotes the production of its own staphylococcal antitoxin. It is applied subcutaneously with a gradual increase in dose.

Symptomatic therapy is carried out according to general recommendations for the treatment of a particular disease.Most often, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

The information is for reference only and is not a guide to action. Do not self-medicate. At the first symptoms of the disease, see your doctor.

Folk remedies

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Folk remedies play an insignificant role in the treatment of staphylococcal infection, are used only in mild cases and in agreement with the doctor. For angina, rinses with decoctions of chamomile, sage, string, elderberry, calendula are used.To strengthen the immune system in adults, ginger drink, aloe with nuts and honey, echinacea decoction, rosehip compote are useful. Children can use herbal teas, rosehip compote, nut mixture with cranberries and apples.

It should be remembered that staphylococcal infection is fraught with complications that are life-threatening. Self-medication cannot be limited even with mild forms of the disease. If symptoms of the disease appear, an urgent need to consult a doctor.

The information is for reference only and is not a guide to action.Do not self-medicate. At the first symptoms of the disease, see your doctor.

References

1. Infectious Diseases: National Guidelines. Short edition / ed. Yushchuka N.D., Vengerova Yu.V. – 2019.
2. Staphylococcal infections / Akhtamov M.A., Sidikova K.A. – 1981.
3. Infectious diseases in children / Uchaikin V.F., Nisevich N.I., Shamsheva O.V. – 2013.
4. Staphylococci and staphylococcal infection / ed. Ivanova N.R. – 1980.

Your comments on symptoms and treatment

Staphylococcal infection

Specific manifestations of staphylococcal infection are determined by the site of introduction, the degree of aggressiveness of the staphylococcus species and the degree of decreased immunity.

Pyoderma is one of the most common purulent skin diseases. Staphylococcal pyoderma is characterized by skin lesions in the area of ​​the hair orifices. With superficial lesions, the so-called folliculitis develops – a small abscess, penetrated with hair in the center. With deeper lesions, a furuncle develops – a purulent-necrotic inflammation of the hair follicle and surrounding tissues, or a carbuncle – an inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue around a group of hair follicles. Most often, boils and carbuncles appear on the back of the neck, thighs, buttocks.The appearance of boils and carbuncles on the face is especially dangerous – due to the peculiarities of blood circulation, staphylococcus can be brought into the brain, with the development of purulent meningitis or brain abscess.

Ritter’s disease or scalded skin syndrome is another manifestation of staphylococcal infection, which occurs mainly in newborns and young children. In its manifestations, the disease can resemble scarlet fever (a similar rash) or erysipelas (a focus of red inflamed skin with even borders), which are found in streptococcal infections.One of the forms of the disease, the epidemic bladderworm, is a clear example of the action of staphylococcal toxin – exfoliatin. The superficial layers of the skin with pemphigus exfoliate in large layers, large blisters appear under them.

Abscesses and phlegmon are a form of deep lesion of subcutaneous tissues with their purulent fusion. The difference between an abscess and phlegmon is that in the first case, the inflammation is delimited by a capsule that blocks the further spread of the process, and with phlegmon, purulent inflammation spreads through the tissues (that is, it is a more dangerous form).

Staphylococcal pneumonia is a rare occurrence, but due to the peculiarities of the course and the resistance of staphylococci to a number of antibiotics, it is of great importance among bacterial pneumonias.
Pneumonia caused by staphylococcus is characterized by a severe course, with severe intoxication, chest pain (pleural damage), shortness of breath. Multiple foci appear in the tissues of the lungs, followed by purulent fusion, the formation of abscesses. Such abscesses can break through into the pleural cavity: the so-called empyema is formed.

Getting from the focus of infection on the face, in the sinuses or other places with blood flow to the brain, staphylococcus aureus causes the appearance of brain abscesses and purulent meningitis. Brain abscesses are usually small, scattered throughout the tissue. Meningitis is often secondary to a brain abscess, or it can occur on its own when a large number of staphylococci appear in the blood (bacteremia). The defeat of the brain and its membranes is manifested by headache, impaired consciousness, neurological disorders, epileptic seizures.

Staphylococcal infection can also cause thrombophlebitis of the superficial veins of the brain, accompanied by severe neurological disorders.

Staphylococcus aureus is the main cause (up to 95%) of purulent inflammation of the bone marrow – osteomyelitis. In the process of inflammation, all layers of the bone are affected and destroyed, often a purulent focus breaks out. The main symptom of osteomyelitis is pain in the affected area. Later, tissue edema appears over the site of inflammation, and purulent fistulas form.With joint damage, purulent arthritis occurs, with the hip and knee joints most often affected.

Staphylococcal damage to the valves and the inner lining of the heart (endocardium) endocarditis is a serious disease with a high (40-60%) mortality rate. Getting into the bloodstream, staphylococcus in a short time destroys the heart valves, causing serious complications in the form of embolism (blockage) of peripheral arteries, myocardial abscess, heart failure.

Diseases caused by exposure to a large number of staphylococcal toxins are sometimes isolated into a separate group – intoxication.These include toxic shock and foodborne toxicosis. Toxic shock occurs when especially aggressive types of toxins enter the bloodstream, causing a sharp drop in blood pressure, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, impaired consciousness, later a characteristic spotty rash appears. Food toxicosis occurs 2-6 hours after eating food contaminated with staphylococcus, and is manifested by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In severe cases of food intoxication, the manifestations of enterocolitis may resemble those of a particularly dangerous infection – cholera.

Sepsis is the most severe form of staphylococcal infection, in which a huge number of bacteria are spread by the blood throughout the body with the formation of multiple secondary foci of infection in the internal organs.

Allergen o73 – enterotoxin B (Staphylococcus aureus), IgE

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B is by nature a protein with a molecular weight of 24-30 Kd, which can act as an allergen. Manifestations of allergic reactions to staphylococcal enterotoxin B can be atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, diseases of the digestive system (allergic stomatitis, cheilitis, gastritis, colitis, gastroenteritis).Determination of specific immunoglobulin E to a given allergen in an increased amount indicates the presence of sensitization of the body to this allergen.

Synonyms Russian

IgE to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B, bacterial toxins.

English synonyms

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, ETA, IgE (o73).

Research method

Immunochemiluminescence analysis.

Units

IU / ml (international unit per milliliter).

What kind of biomaterial can be used for research?

Venous blood.

How to properly prepare for the study?

• Do not smoke for 30 minutes prior to examination.

General information about the study

Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) is a bacterium that colonizes the skin and mucous membranes of animals and humans. Carriers of Staphylococcus aureus are 10-40% of people.Staphylococcus aureus often cause skin infections: folliculitis, boils, erysipelas, abscesses. Serious infectious diseases of a staphylococcal nature include osteomyelitis, pneumonia, endocarditis and sepsis. In addition, staphylococci are the cause of diseases caused by the production of toxins. Toxins can directly affect the body, causing skin symptoms: scalded skin syndrome in infants, staphylococcal gastroenteritis. The response to the entry of foreign cells into the body is the rapid production of class E immunoglobulins.Against the background of an allergic reaction to enterotoxin, internal organs and tissues are damaged, accompanied by the following symptoms: sneezing; diarrhea; itching and redness of the skin; dizziness; drowsiness; dyspnea; dry cough; sore throat; anaphylactic shock; increased sweating; increased body temperature; Quincke’s edema; rash; conjunctivitis; an increase in the size of the thymus gland; exacerbation of chronic diseases; migraine.

Staphylococcus aureus produces enterotoxins that lead to dysfunction of the body at the cellular level, manifested in the form of inflammation of the airways.Staphylococcus aureus is especially dangerous during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As medical practice shows, in patients with polyps in the nasopharynx, atopic eczema, chronic rhinitis, the risk of diagnosing staphylococcal infection is increased. Immunological diagnostics allows you to accurately determine the body’s resistance to this type of allergen. Exposure to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins induces the production of specific IgE. Enterotoxin B induces polyclonal IgE production against hundreds of allergens, including inhaled allergens and enterotoxins.These immunological reactions contribute to the development of chronic rhinosinusitis with the formation of nasal polyps, a more severe course of atopic dermatitis and eczema, bronchial asthma.

What is this study used for?

• For the diagnosis of allergic diseases associated with sensitization to enterotoxin B of Staphylococcus aureus;
• for the diagnosis of bacterial eczema;
• to clarify the causes of severe atopic dermatitis;
• to clarify the genesis of chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis;
• to clarify the genesis of bronchial asthma.

When is the study scheduled?

• For allergy symptoms (itching and skin rashes, severe atopic dermatitis, eczema, chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, bronchial asthma, etc.).

What do the results mean?

Reference values: 0.00 – 0.10 IU / ml.

Positive result:

• Allergy to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B;
• Sensitization to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B with a high risk of developing an allergic reaction after a bite.

Negative result:

• no sensitization to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B;
• exclusion of contact with an allergen.

Treatment and removal of a boil in Kazan

A boil is a symptom of pyoderma, a purulent – inflammatory process of the hair follicle when infected with a staphylococcal or streptococcal infection.

They differ from other rashes in size and localization.More often, pathology is diagnosed in adolescent or elderly patients.

Recently, dermatologists have noted a tendency for the growth of the disease in the face area.

The main reason for the formation of a boil is the rapid multiplication of pathogenic microflora on the skin.

Pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus are present in small quantities on the human body. There are a number of factors under the influence of which the bacterial colony is actively growing.

1. Decreased immunity with immunodeficiency, poisoning, after serious illnesses;
2. When undergoing treatment for autoimmune pathologies, courses of chemotherapy, taking steroid hormones or cytostatics;
3. Endocrine disorders in the adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thyroid gland;
4. Increased production of the testosterone hormone by the body;
5. Manifestations of skin pathologies or damage to the epidermis – dermatitis, eczema, burns, wounds;
6. Lack of hygiene;
7. Use of substandard cosmetics or skin care products;

Boil symptoms

Symptoms of a purulent skin formation, depending on the location, are:

• Pain sensations;
• Discomfort;
• Itching;
• Temperature;
• Signs of general intoxication of the body;

Each symptom occurs at a specific stage in the course of the disease.

Treatment of a boil

Therapy is prescribed by a dermatologist after diagnosing the stage of development and localization of the boil.

1. At the initial stage, the patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics to eliminate bacteria and relieve the inflammatory process. Also useful are ultraviolet irradiation, electrophoresis, immunostimulating therapy, cosmetic procedures.
2. When the abscess matures and is opened, the treatment of the wound surface in a medical institution is attached, topical drugs are stretching and antimicrobial ointments.
3. In the healing stage, UHF procedures, vitamin therapy, ointments for skin restoration and resorption of scars are shown.

Despite its apparent simplicity, ignoring the treatment of pathology threatens with serious complications. Among the consequences, the following were most often noted: furunculosis, abscess, sepsis, lymphadenitis, lymphangitis, thrombophlebitis. Less commonly – pyelonephritis, brain abscess, meningitis.

When to open a boil

The indications for surgical opening of the boil are:

• Boil sizes over 5 mm;
• The spread of hyperemia or the appearance of a second abscess nearby;
• Increased body temperature;
• Pain syndrome;
• Localization of pathology on the face or in the ear or auditory canals, in an intimate place.
• If one or more signs are found, you should immediately contact a dermatologist at the medical center.

If you experience the first warning symptoms, you should immediately contact a medical center for qualified therapy.

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Other surgeon services

90,000 Pyoderma. Part 1

Optimal tactics of diagnosis and treatment
Pyoderma is a group of dermatoses, which are based on purulent inflammation of the skin, its appendages, and subcutaneous adipose tissue:
Causative agents of pyoderma:
• Most often – staphylococultative -anaerobic bacteria): S.aureus, S. haemolyticus , S. epidermidis
• Streptococci
• Rarely (usually as part of microbial associations with staphylococci and streptococci) – Proteus, pneumococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc.

(passing through the skin barrier, stimulate T-lymphocytes, provoke the production of specific IgE and cause degranulation of mast cells)
• Enzymes (staphylococcal proteases destroy corneodesmosomes, enhancing desquamative processes in the epidermis, xerosis and violation of the barrier properties of the skin)
• Others active substances

Exogenous risk factors for pyoderma:
• Violation of the integrity of the epidermis (microtrauma, skin maceration)
• Skin contamination
• Increased sweating
• Skin alkalization
• Effects of high and low temperatures

Endogenous risk factors for pyoderma – any factors that reduce the barrier resistance of the skin:
• Diabetes mellitus and other endocrinopathies
• Severe somatic diseases
• Protein deficiency due to poor nutrition
• Hypovitaminosis
• Chronic intoxication organs and tissues
• Children’s age

Anatomical and physiological characteristics of children’s skin:
• Insufficient keratinization of the stratum corneum
• pH of the newborn’s skin has a value close to neutral
• A fragile, loose connection between the epidermis and dermis
• Developed network of capillaries dermis

Epidemiology of pyoderma:
• One of the most common skin diseases
• Slightly more common in men
age and children

Clinical classification of pyoderma:
• By etiological grounds: staphyloderma and streptoderma
• By depth of skin lesions: superficial and deep
• By prevalence: limited and widespread
• By current: acute and chronic
• By current: acute and chronic
the absence or presence of previous skin lesions: primary and secondary

Key findings for the section:
• Pyoderma is one of the most common skin diseases
• The most common causative agent of pyoderma is staphylococcus
• Various exogenous and endogenous factors predispose to the development of pyoderma violation of the barrier function of the skin
• In clinical practice, pyoderma is subdivided according to etiology, depth of skin lesions, prevalence, course and possible causal relationship with previous other dermatoses

Clinical orphological manifestations of pyoderma.
The primary morphological element of the rash is a pustule (abscess): a relief cavity element of the rash, filled with purulent exudate.
• Superficial pustule is located in the epidermis or in the papillary layer of the dermis, resolves without scarring
• Deep pustule involves the reticular layer of the dermis and / or subcutaneous adipose tissue, after healing, a scar remains

Staphyloderma
(main causative agent)
• ostiofollikulit
• Folliculitis
• Sycosis vulgaris
• Vezikulopustulez
• Furuncle
• Furunculosis
• carbuncle
• abscess skin
• hidradenitis
• Psevdofurunkulez
• Epidemic pemphigus newborn
• Exfoliative dermatitis Ritter
• syndrome staphylococcal burnt skin
• Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome

L73.8 Ostiofolliculitis – a pointed small white-yellow pustule penetrated with hair
• Only the mouths of the hair follicles are affected
• Often complicates the course of seborrheic dermatitis

Staphylococcal enterocolitis | State Institution “Minsk City Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology”

Staphylococcal enterocolitis (staphylococcal food poisoning) is an acute disease caused by the consumption of foods contaminated with staphylococci that produce enterotoxin.

The disease is manifested by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. Usually there is more or less pronounced intoxication in the form of headache, increased body temperature. In mild cases, the disease lasts 3-6 hours and ends with recovery.

Clinical manifestations of the disease occur from 30 minutes to 6 hours from the moment of infection, on average 2-3 hours. In children and the elderly, especially those with chronic diseases, the disease can take on a severe course.In these cases, indomitable vomiting and diarrhea appear, dehydration quickly sets in. The likelihood of complications of cardiovascular diseases with disorders of cerebral and coronary circulation increases.

The source of the causative agent of the infection are patients with staphylococcal lesions of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, pustular skin diseases, bacterial carriers (especially permanent). The route of transmission is food.

Food contamination occurs more often when cooking by personnel suffering from pustular skin diseases (boils, etc.