Impetigo Treatment Tips

October 30th, 2008 by admin

Impetigo Treatment Tips

Impetigo is a common type of skin infection. It is generally caused by one of two bacteria: group A streptococcus or staphylococcus aureus. Impetigo usually touchs preschool and school-age children. It is most commonly found children age 2–6 years. The infection is spread by direct contact with lesions or with nasal carriers. A child may be more likely to develop impetigo if the skin has already been irritated or injured by other skin problems, such as eczema, poison ivy, insect bites, or a skin allergy to soap or makeup. Impetigo starts as a red sore that quickly ruptures, oozes for a few days and then forms a yellowish-brown crust that looks like honey or brown sugar. The disease is highly contagious, and scratching or touching the sores is likely to spread the infection to other parts of the body. Impetigo may develop when open skin lesions (such as insect bites or burns) are infected following exposure to a person with streptococcal pharyngitis (”strep throat”). Impetigo begins as a cluster of small blisters that increase and split within the first 24 hours. The thin yellow fluid that drains from the ruptured blisters quickly dries forming a honey-colored crust. Impetigo may affect skin anywhere on the body but commonly occurs around the nose and mouth, hands, and forearms. People who suffer from cold sores have shown higher chances of suffering from impetigo. Treatment depends on the extent and severity of the infection. Use soap and water when bathing your child, and pay special attention to cuts, rashes, insect bites and allergic reactions.Good hygiene practices, such as regular hand washing, can help prevent impetigo. Topical or oral antibiotics are usually prescribed. Oral antibiotics are recommended if the infection is extensive, proving slow to respond to topical antibiotics, or if the impetigo is recurrent. An antiseptic (povidone iodine, hydrogen peroxide cream, chlorhexidine and others) or antibiotic ointment (fucidic acid or mupirocin) is prescribed, apply it at least three times a day to the affected areas and surrounding skin. Minor cuts and scrapes should be thoroughly cleansed with soap and clean water. Impetigo is contagious, so avoid touching the draining (oozing) lesions. Always use a clean washcloth and towel each time. Do not share towels, clothing, razors, and so on with other family members. Impetigo Treatmen and Pevention Tips 1. Topical or oral antibiotics are usually to treat impetigo.2. Regular hand washing, can help prevent impetigo.3. Always use a clean washcloth and towel each time. 4. Avoid close contact with others. 5. Use separate towels and flannels. 6. Change and launder clothes and linen daily.7. Do not share towels, clothing, razors, and so on with other family members. 8. Affected children must stay away from school until crusts have dried out.

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Complete Information on Bacterial endocarditis with Treatment and Prevention

October 25th, 2008 by admin

Complete Information on Bacterial endocarditis with Treatment and Prevention

Bacterial endocarditis is a transmission of the inner surface of the eye or the eye valves caused by bacterium normally establish in the lip, intestinal parcel or urinary parcel. Endocarditis is a leading worry in nearly all unrepaired inborn eye defects as easily as in most repaired defects with a few exceptions. Bacterial endocarditis is almost often observed in adults, but the incidence in children with inborn eye disease or key indwelling venous catheters continues to climb. Some postoperative and dental procedures induce a short bacteremia. Bacteremia is popular after many intrusive procedures. But simply sure bacterium usually induce endocarditis. Symptoms and signs of endocarditis change butprolonged fever (much so 2-3 days) without an apparent reason is an almost significant signal and should ever be investigated in a kid with inborn eye disease. Other signs and symptoms include impoverished appetite, feeling feeble or weary, multilateral pains, rind rashes, and changes in the nature of a previously existing eye muttering. The opportunity that these signs and symptoms are caused by endocarditis is more possible if they happen shortly after a dental cleanup or process involving the gastrointestinal or urinary parcel. Certain preexisting eye conditions, you’re at increased danger for endocarditis. Some inborn eye imperfections including a ventricular septal flaw, an atrial septal flaw, or a patent ductus arteriosus. Risk of complications include prosthetic valve endocarditis, left-sided endocarditis, transmission with Staphylococcus aureus or fungi, past endocarditis, cyanotic inborn eye disease, systemic-to-pulmonary shunts, and an impoverished reaction to antibiotic therapy. The almost popular antibiotic used to forbid endocarditis is Amoxicillin but in the lawsuit of penicillin allergy Erythromycin is used. Long-term, high-dose antibiotic trearment is required to eradicate the bacteria from the vegetations on the valves. Treatment is usually administered for 4-6 weeks, depending on the organism. The chosen antibiotic must be specific for the organism causing the condition. Fungal endocarditis requires specific anti-fungal treatment, such as amphotericin B. Surgical removal of the valve is necessary in patients who fail to clear micro-organisms from their blood in response to antibiotic therapy. A removed valve is usually replaced with an artificial valve which may either be mechanical (metallic).

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A Potentially Devastating Lid Infection

October 25th, 2008 by admin

A Potentially Devastating Lid Infection

The lid is a very complex, and important structure. It has multiple functions that require a constant flow of fluids, and physiological maintenance. Disruption of any part of this mechanism can, and often does result in disease, pain and the possibility of secondary complications. The lid’s most basic function is to protect the eye from trauma. This is accomplished by simply closing the eye. The lashes also play a role as they catch debris, and inform us when something is too close to our eyes. In addition, they house many glands that secrete fluids that bathe our eyes and keep them moist.If any of the glands of the lid get clogged, infection results, and often called a stye. It present as a red bump in the lid, that is tender to the touch. The lid is red and swollen, and may even appear as a pimple on the lid if the infection is in the front section of the lid. Another lid infection, blepharitis, is an inflammation of the lid, and appears as a red lid margin with debris on the lid surface. It often leads to dry, red eyes, and general discomfort of the eye. Proper treatment will alleviate this condition.A more serious condition of the lid area is Dacryocystitis which is an infection of the nasolacrimal sac. This lies between the inner corner of the eye lid and the nose. It most often results from blockage of the duct that permits tears to flow from the tear producing gland to the nose. This condition most often causes pain, redness and swelling of the inner most area of the lid, and excessive tearing. The blocked tear duct becomes infected with bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoriae and Pseudomonas. Dacryocystitis may be acute or chronic and may be the result of tear duct malformation, injury, trauma and infection.Clinical presentations will include the pain, redness and swelling as well as puss that will extrude with digital pressure to the area. Most patients are very uncomfortable and present with a puffy red inner eye lid. It looks different then a basic lid infection in that the location, and is always nasal and the pain is much more severe with palpation, or digital pressure.According to Dr. Marc Werner, an Oculoplastic surgeon from Long Island, NY, aggressive treatment is necessary to prevent secondary complications. He recommends irrigating the infected duct to clear any obstructions, and clear away bacteria infected puss. If the irrigation is not effective in opening a clean duct, then surgery is required to cure this condition. In addition, oral antibiotics, and topical antibiotics and on occasion a topical steroid is employed to reduce the inflammation. Palpitating the effected area to remove as much of the puss as possible is necessary at the onset of treatment. Proper follow up is also required on a daily basis to make sure that the infection is draining and not spreading to the surrounding ocular areas. Dr. Werner always checks vision and pupillary function on every visit for the same reason. It should be noted that Dr. Werner is also a Neuro-Ophthalmologist and as such always looks for any potential neurological complication that might arise. If the Dacryocystitis does not resolve with this therapy, and the duct remains obstructed then when the initial infection is eliminated a surgical procedure called Dacryocystorhinostomy ( DCR) must be performed. This is done under general anesthesia and creates a new passage for the tears to flow. As usual, proper diagnosis and treatment is required from the start to obtain the best possible outcome.

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Drug Resistant Diseases: Taming Of The Shrew

October 25th, 2008 by admin

Drug Resistant Diseases: Taming Of The Shrew

Exceedingly detested but true, when diseases once treatable cease to respond to pharmaceutical drugs, the consequences can be devastating. However, things could change if the scientists succeed in successfully testing a newly developed mechanism to thwart drug resistance.It’s impossible to talk of drug resistance and not mention the super bug, “Staphylococcus aureus.” Often it’s the bacteria that come to ones mind when you think drug resistance, but sometimes it can be other pathogens such as cancer cells. However, now researchers seem to be attempting to bluff these pathogenic cells to get potent medicine inside them, thus spelling their doom.How The New Process Works?One way by which resistance develops is when the pathogenic cells suddenly become clever (and cunning and @#$) and don’t let medicines seep through their skin and act against them. But taking a lead from nature the Stanford University have developed a method to combat this common form of resistance.The solution formulated by scientists centers around the compound “Arginine,” an amino acid (amino acids are the building blocks of proteins) abundantly found in cells. As against other substances, when arginine rich compounds try to enter a cell they are welcomed, even by resistant cells.So now the tactic used entails cloaking the therapeutic compound with Arginine, hence facilitating its entry into the target cell. Once the Arginine bounded medicine gets inside it only needs to broken apart from Arginine (the cloak) to begin its action. And this is achieved by glutathione, a molecule naturally present inside a cell. After the temporary and weak medicine—Arginine complex is broken down, the pathogenic cell has no choice but to succumb.For now the mechanism has been successfully tested with the ovarian cancer drug “Paclitaxel,” however it can have applications in bacterial diseases as well, viz. multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, the scientists have suggested.Another promising find of the study was that the scientists can control even the rate at which the medicine is release by tweaking “Arginine” just a little bit. And that’s not all, a cancer therapy based on this technique even promises a treatment with lesser negative side effects that go along with chemotherapy.While cancer drugs are just one example, come to think of if most drug resistant diseases can be tackled in this manner, health would be restored to millions who suffer due to this type of drug resistance. Buck Up! The medical industry.

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The Kill the Bacterial and Cure the Acne Myth

October 24th, 2008 by admin

The Kill the Bacterial and Cure the Acne Myth

Strategizer all forms of life to survive and reproduce. Weed, worms, birds, fungi and bacteria all work to their own lives on this planet. In fact, we humans survive because of the biological games constantly unfolding in our mist. Propionibacterium acnes, or p acne bacteria, are no different. They want and need to survive. Skin bacteria have an important function. Bacteria use the secretions of our sweat and sebaceous glands (sebum is the oil that our skin look shiny) as nutrients. P acnes that are in balance with your body prevent colonization by more harmful bacteria. P acne bacteria only encourage acne formations if the production of oil on the face is exaggerated. This surplus of oil of the hormonal, nutritional, environmental and / or psychological changes in the body. So to prevent acne, you do not what to kill bacteria per se, but keep the quantity of bacteria on the skin at an optimal balance. You optimize your oil secretion by understanding and controlling your response to hormonal, nutritional, environmental and / or psychological changes. If we take the balance of bacteria in our bodies by taking antibiotics, our resident flora is upset and this enables harmful bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii) to colonize our skin. What’s more, antibiotics can destroy the balance of intestinal flora and cause constipation. In short, using antibiotics on bacteria is a battle between intelligent parties to the bacteria, the body and the human spirit. If we fail to ensure the bacteria as bodily maintenance workers and continue dousing them with antibiotics, the bacteria are more resistant to our antibiotics. The bacteria are practiced in the game dead as a tactic for survival. Even people who have the strongest acne drug on the market, Accutane, have the cunning behavior of bacteria as Zits again a few months after this course of acne treatment. These people have discovered that bacteria do not die, they silently and strategically multiply. If you do not want your bacteria out of balance, not offer them an environment conducive to acne Naweko San-Joyz writes health and beauty items from her home in San Diego.rss feed my search

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Causes and Treatments of Skin Infection

October 24th, 2008 by admin

 

Bacterial Infections

Botulism is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin made by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. The CDC has designated Clostridium botulinum as a Category A bioterrorism threat. Find out more about this potentially fatal disease.

Common Skin Infection

Humans are natural hosts for many bacterial species that colonize the skin as normal flora. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes are infrequent resident flora, but they account for a wide variety of bacterial pyodermas. Predisposing factors to infection include minor trauma.

Causes and Risk Factors

Other bacteria that cause urinary tract infections include Staphylococcus saprophyticus (5 to 15% of cases), Chlamydia trachomatis, and Mycoplasma hominis.

Certain blood types enable bacteria to attach more easily to cells that line the urinary tract, causing recurrent urinary tract infections.

Unfortunately, the infection may persist for some time - for months as in your son’s case or even years - but the lesions usually do go away by themselves without leaving scars.

It is unlikely that molluscum is directly related to the other medical problems you son has had. However, the disease can be worse than usual among people who have other conditions that affect the immune system.

Cellulitis is not usually recurrent. In patients with chronic lymphedema, however, there is a tendency both for the development of multiple lesions and for the occurrence of repeated episodes.

Treatments of Skin Rashs

Drug Treatment

Generally, a rosacea flare-up is treated with a combination of prescription drugs. A topical product (an antibiotic and/or another type of drug) may be applied to the affected areas and oral antibiotics may be taken, as well.

Oral Antibiotics

Short treatments (a few days or weeks) of an oral antibiotic, such as azithromycin, clarithromycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, minocycline, or tetracycline, may be given to control a flare-up. Frequently, these drugs are also used to treat teen acne.

Laser treatments (e.g., CO2 laser) can be used to treat plantar warts. Laser treatment is performed in a podiatrist’s office or an outpatient surgery facility using local anesthesia. Lasers produce little scarring and are effective in most cases.

Cryotherapy involves freezing warts with a very cold solution (e.g., sodium nitride) that destroys the virus and causes the wart to turn black and fall off within a few days.

Prevention

Prevention of abrasions is possible by wearing protective pads and covering any exposed skin with a layer of clothing. Generally, you can predict when you will suffer an abrasion. So it is wise to have the necessary first aid supplies available in the event of an emergency.

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Orbital Cellulitis

October 20th, 2008 by admin

Orbital Cellulitis is an infection that affects the eye and the skin and tissues surrounding the eye. It basically affects the eye and the other parts of your eye structure within the eye cavity. This disease can affect people of all ages and sexes and is a serious condition which should undergo treatment as soon as possible.

This is caused due to bacteria which causes the infection. There are three types of bacteria that cause orbital cellulitis. These are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Haemophilus influenzae. Once you contract any of the bacteria mentioned above, your eye will get infected and there will be lots of other complications too.

The bacteria are contracted directly or from other areas of the body. The most common of such areas are the sinuses. Once the bacteria moves into your eye, then there are a number symptoms that can help you identify if you have the condition or not. Some of the common symptoms are swelling of the eyelids, swollen eyeball, difficulty in moving the eyeball, fever and other mild discomfort. These symptoms are deceptive in the sense that they may be mistaken for another eye condition which is not as serious as Orbital Cellulitis. If you have Orbital Cellulitis, then the fever will keep recurring. You can use this to identify if you are suffering from the condition. Once you start experiencing these symptoms, you must consult a doctor and get your eye diagnosed.

After the diagnosis, there are a set of ways in which the diagnosis can be confirmed. These include, blood tests, x-ray, ct scan and cultures of the discharge from your eyes. The most conclusive test is the culture test as you can directly identify the bacteria in your eye.

The condition is treatable although it depends on the extent of the infection. The main treatment is antibiotics, but there may be other complications that may result in surgery. If you have contracted the bacteria from the sinuses, then there is a chance that some of the bacteria are still there. This requires surgical drainage of the sinuses and at times even the eye. This surgery will ensure all traces of the bacteria are wiped out from your body. You should ensure that the treatment is prompt and you should get admitted in the hospital for observation as it is a potentially damaging condition. An eye care specialist is the ideal person you should visit in case of such diseases.

If this potentially damaging disease is not treated promptly, then some serious complication may arise. These can be menegitis, loss of vision and neurological deficits. As the bacteria are in your eye, there is a high chance that your brain also gets infected. This is the reason why this condition is potentially damaging.

As you can see above, unless you receive a diagnosis, you cannot identify whether you have Orbital Cellulitis. As soon as you start experiencing the above mentioned symptoms you should rush to an eye care specialist who can conduct all those tests to confirm his diagnosis so that you receive the antibiotics as soon as possible before any potential damage.

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ALTAFLORA Vs YOGHURTS - Final Score Is 7000 - 1 Article - Health Articles

October 17th, 2008 by admin

These trillions of microorganisms colonizing the surfaces and cavities of our bodies ‘ the CFUs, that is colonies forming units ‘ are also called beneficial flora. This flora helps us to digest and absorb our food, support our immune system, detoxify noxious compounds and even contribute to the manufacture of essential vitamins. A probiotic is a food-supplement containing live beneficial microbes that can be used to fortify or rebuild our own natural flora.

Why do we need probiotics?

To keep the balance of intestinal flora tipped toward the positive side, because contrasting the beneficial flora are the bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoans, all in some way or other implicated in heart disease allergies, asthma, skin disorders, obesity, digestive problems, urinary tract infections, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases. Thus a daily probiotic can be an effective preventative and therapeutic measure to help keep the balance of good intestinal flora.

So feeling well depends very much on keeping your friendly bacteria happy and not letting the bad flora get the upper hand as happens for example when there is food poisoning.

ALTAFLORA ELECTROLYTES of Alta Care Laboratoires, Paris, is a therapeutic nutritional preparation for gut effects favouring growth of normal bacterial flora and not favouring growth of pathogenic organisms. Indications for use include diarrhoea, constipation, gastro-enteritis, peristatltic disorders, flatulence, stress, antibiotic therapy, and age.

Yoghurt is renowned for its health boosting qualities. It introduces active probiotic cultures that help wedge out unfriendly bacteria by competing directly with two main food poisons: the toxic strains of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Many experts have extolled the health benefits of yoghurt, and other fermented foods. Fair enough because yoghurt is one of the few foods that can replace the good flora to the intestine !

But the strategy resulting from the properties and qualities of ALTAFLORA ELECTROLYTES to uphold the intestinal flora balance is far superior to that of any yoghurt. Altaflora electrolytes are probiotic supplements and therefore the number of good bacteria is much higher than the number of bacteria found in yoghurts. The good bacteria selected in Altaflora electrolytes is not a generic one as in the case of yoghurts but a highly selective one. The good bacteria with high adhesive properties are chosen for Altaflora electrolytes. This means that the good bacteria found in Altaflora not only are high in number than those found in yoghurts but are of also a superior quality.

Research has shown that while normal yoghurt has approximately 100 billion good bacteria (CFUS) - frozen yoghurt having 10 billion, Altaflora Electrolytes has 700 billion (CFUs), while the Altaflora Capsules has 250 billion.

Moreover ALTAFLORA ELECTROLYTES besides having so many beneficial flora, has also inulin. Inulin is a prebiotic ‘ soluble fibres; sugars that basically flora eat on to form cultures. Inulin is not present in Altaflora Capsules. Nor is it present in yoghurts.

Unlike yoghurts the ALTFLORA ELECTROLYTES is also rich in electrolytes, that is sodium, magnesium and potassium. Electrolytes are present in high dosages in both the Altaflora capsules and the Altaflora sachets.

As one can see the benefits of ALTAFLORA ELECTROLYTES by far outweigh those of yoghurt. An approximate equation could easily be:

1 ALTAFLORA SACHET (of Altaflora Electrolytes) = 2 ALTFLORA CAPSULES = 7000 YOGHURTS.

It’s important to support probiotic use and your existing flora through optimal nutrition, especially by minimizing refined sugar and processed foods in your diet. For many of us, however, diet alone is not adequate when we need to repopulate our systems with good bacteria. Remember, we are talking trillions of bacteria here! And age, poor diet, stress, disease, and antibiotics all take their toll on our intestines’ little helpers. You need a steady, consistent supply of probiotics to redress these issues and many times your daily yoghurt would not be enough. So make sure that ALTAFLORA ELECTROLYTES becomes your strategic partner. Altaflora electrolytes are only available in pharmacies but they can be bought over the counter and there is no need of a prescription.

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What Causes Sinus Infections? - Sound Reasons For Sinus Outbreak

October 15th, 2008 by admin

Inflammation of the sinuses is known as sinusitis. This is usually caused by an infection viral, bacterial, or fungal. The sinuses are air-filled cavities around the forehead, cheeks, and eyes that are lined with mucous membranes. Healthy sinuses are germ-free and open, allowing mucus to drain and air to circulate in the nasal passages. When inflamed, the sinuses become blocked with mucus and can become infected.A sinus infection can cause a headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head. A person with a sinus infection can have cough, fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal discharges. Sinusitis is classified as acute or chronic. Acute sinus lasts for less than 8 weeks and chronic one can last for more than 8 weeks.A viral infection in the upper respiratory tract leads to an acute sinus infection. An acute sinus infection can also be caused by allergens and pollutants in the air. When a person has a viral sinus infection then cells of the sinus lining are damaged. This in turn leads to inflammation and swelling and prevents the proper discharge of nasal mucus. This in turn becomes a play ground for organisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungus to live and grow quickly.Other causes of sinus includes allergies like dry air, tobacco smoke, hay fever, change in weather temperature or atmospheric pressure like when swimming or climbing high altitudes. Sinus can also be due to dental infection, physical injury to sinus, Disease or an abnormal structure in the sinus area such as nasal polyps, deviated septum, or nasal bone spur. Many bacteria also cause acute sinusitis like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis.If recurrent cases sinusitis is not treated properly it can cause chronic sinusitis. Acute sinus causing bacteria along with Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobes causes chronic sinus. Fungi have become a rising cause of chronic sinusitis, especially in people with diseases like AIDS, leukemia, and diabetes, where the immune system is very weak.We are providing natural treatment for sinus to thousands of people, if you would like to kick your sinus disease then use these sinus treatment.

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Toxic Shock Syndrome

October 13th, 2008 by admin

If you’re a girl who’s had her period, you may have heard frightening stories about toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a serious illness originally linked to the use of tampons. But TSS isn’t strictly related to tampons. The contraceptive sponge and the diaphragm, two types of birth control methods, have been linked to TSS. And, sometimes, the infection has occurred as a result of wounds or surgery, where the skin has been broken, allowing bacteria to enter.

Toxic shock syndrome can happen to anyone %26mdash; men, women, and children. Although it can be serious, it’s a very rare illness. If you’re concerned about toxic shock syndrome, the smartest thing you can do is to read and learn about it, then take some precautions.

What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome?

TSS is a systemic illness, which means that it affects the whole body. It can be caused by one of two different types of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes %26mdash; although toxic shock that is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria is rarer. These bacteria can produce document.write(deftoxins60)toxins. In some people whose bodies can’t fight these toxins, the immune system reacts. This reaction causes the symptoms associated with TSS.

When people think of TSS, they often think of tampon use. That’s because the earliest cases of the illness, back in the late 1970s, were related to superabsorbent tampons. Research led to better tampons and better habits for using them %26mdash; such as changing tampons more often. The number of TSS cases dropped dramatically. Today about half of all TSS cases are linked to menstruation.

Aside from tampon use, TSS has been linked to skin infections that are typically minor and can be associated with the chickenpox rash. TSS has also been reported following surgical procedures, giving birth, and prolonged use of nasal packing for nosebleeds %26mdash; although all of these are rare.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?

Symptoms of TSS occur suddenly. Because it’s an illness that is caused by a toxin, many of the body’s organ systems are affected. The signs and symptoms of TSS include:

high fever (greater than 102° Fahrenheit [38.8° Celsius])

rapid drop in blood pressure (with lightheadedness or fainting)

sunburn-like rash on the entire body

vomiting and diarrhea

severe muscle aches or weakness

bright red coloring of the eyes, throat, and vagina

headache, confusion, disorientation, or seizures

kidney and other organ failure

The average time before symptoms appear for TSS is 2 to 3 days after an infection with Staphylococcus or Streptococcus, although this can vary depending on the cause of the infection.

Can I Prevent TSS?

The risk of getting TSS is already low. But you can reduce it still further by simply following some common-sense precautions:

Clean and bandage any skin wounds.

Change bandages regularly, rather than keeping them on for several days.

Check wounds for signs of infection. If a wound gets red, swollen, painful, or tender, or if you develop a fever, call your doctor right away.

If you’re a girl whose period has started, the best way to avoid TSS is to use sanitary napkins instead of tampons.

For girls who prefer to use tampons, select the ones with the lowest absorbency that can handle your menstrual flow and change them frequently. You can also alternate the use of tampons with sanitary napkins.

If you’ve already had an episode of TSS or have been infected with S. aureus, don’t use tampons or contraceptive devices that have been associated with TSS (such as diaphragms and contraceptive sponges).

What Do Doctors Do?

TSS is a medical emergency. If you think you or someone you know may have TSS, call a doctor right away. Depending on the symptoms, a doctor may see you in the office or refer you to a hospital emergency department for immediate evaluation and testing.

If doctors suspect TSS, they will probably start intravenous (IV) fluids and antibiotics as soon as possible. They may take a sample from the suspected site of the infection, such as the skin, nose, or vagina, to check it for TSS. They may also take a blood sample. Other blood tests can help monitor how various organs like the kidneys are working and check for other diseases that may be causing the symptoms.

Medical staff will remove tampons, contraceptive devices, or wound packing; clean any wounds; and, if there is a pocket of infection (called an abscess), a doctor may need to drain pus from the infected area.

People with TSS typically need to stay in the hospital, often in the intensive care unit, for several days to closely monitor blood pressure, respiratory status, and to look for signs of other problems, such as organ damage.

TSS is a very rare illness that’s usually not fatal if recognized and treated promptly.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: January 2007
Originally reviewed by: Joel Klein, MD Printer-friendly versionEmail this article to a friendSend email to us

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