Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacteria residing on the skin, under nails and in the nose. It usually does no harm, unless it is able to enter the bloodstream through a cut or puncture. Treatment for a staph infection varies depending on the type. Abscesses and bacteremia (boils and blood-borne infections, respectively) are the two most common types. However, heart, brain and bone infections can occur in some instances.

Prevention

Cleanliness is the best way to prevent getting and spreading staph infections. If you do have a staph infection, frequently wash your hands and keep cuts or wounds clean and bandaged or otherwise covered in order to prevent spreading your infection to someone else. Household members should avoid sharing towels, sheets and blankets when one person is infected.

Treatment

With boils caused by a staff infection, a healthcare professional must lance it in a medical setting, and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent the infection from returning and spreading. Draining boils and cleaning the area speeds healing and sometimes provides instant relief from pressure under a boil and from painful lesions. Everyone in the same household as the infected person will need to use ointments and medicated baths to prevent spreading the infection. Infections in the heart, brain and bones require more specialized treatment. Usually, this involves intravenous antibiotics, and the type of medicine depends upon the particular staph infection strain.

MRSA

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus , or MRSA, is an anomaly. Once seen only in those recently hospitalized, this type of infection is now appearing in certain groups of healthy people. CA-MRSA, or Community-Associated MRSA, is most common among those living in cramped quarters or close physical contact, like military members, athletes and prisoners. MRSA is resistant to the antibiotics usually used to treat staph infections. However, the use of manuka honey has provided some success. Manuka, a variety of honey originating in New Zealand, is effective because of its powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

Source:

Kids and Staph Infections

Manuka Honey and MRSA

Staph Infection Fact Sheet