What does a staph infection look like when it starts?

Skin infections can look like pimples or boils. They may be red, swollen, and painful. Sometimes there is pus or other drainage. They can turn into impetigo, which turns into a crust on the skin, or cellulitis, a swollen, red area of skin that feels hot.

What does MRSA look like in the beginning?

MRSA infections start out as small red bumps that can quickly turn into deep, painful abscesses. Staph skin infections, including MRSA , generally start as swollen, painful red bumps that might look like pimples or spider bites.

How can you tell if a bump is a staph infection?

If you have a lump on the surface or even just below the surface of the skin, you may have a staph infection. These lumps tend to be full of pus and may resemble an abscess or a boil. The bacteria that causes this infection is called staphylococcus, and it tends to cause little to no problems.

How quickly does staph infection appear?

How soon after exposure do symptoms appear? Extremely variable – symptoms can appear in 1-10 days. For how long can an infected person carry this bacteria? As long as draining lesions are present or the carrier state persists.

How dangerous is staph infection?

Most of the time, these bacteria cause no problems or result in relatively minor skin infections. But staph infections can turn deadly if the bacteria invade deeper into your body, entering your bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs or heart.

Does a staph infection go away by itself?

As long as the owner administers the medication as directed and the pet is kept in adequately warm, sanitary conditions, Staph infections of the skin usually heal completely in a matter of days or weeks .

What is the best treatment for staph infections?

Treatment of a staph infection may include: Antibiotics. Your doctor may perform tests to identify of the staph bacteria behind your infection, and to help choose the antibiotic that will work best. Antibiotics commonly prescribed to treat staph infections include certain cephalosporins, nafcillin or related antibiotics, sulfa drugs, or vancomycin.

How can you tell staph infection is healing?

Keep an eye on the infection itself. When staph is localized to the skin, it will develop a fairly red area on a small surface of your body that may become inflamed, blister and even expand into a sore or ulceration. Keeping an eye on this area can give you a good indication whether your condition is healing properly.