Symptoms of Staphylococcal Infection

Staphylococcal infection has an incubation period, which usually lasts from 4 to 16 days, with food poisoning of staphylococcal etiology - 2-4 hours, sometimes reduced to 30 minutes and rarely increases to 6 hours, with toxic shock syndrome - from 12 to 48 hours, with other forms, including wound, eye and CNS infections - from 48 to 72 hours, in newborns - up to 4-5 days, in premature infants - up to 3 weeks, after which the symptoms of staphylococcal infection appear. Staphylococcal infection does not have a generally accepted classification.

It is advisable to differentiate local staphylococcal infection (indicating localization), generalized staphylococcal infection and staphylococcal intoxications.

• Localized (local) staphylococcal infection:
  • skin and soft tissues (furuncle, pyoderma, abscess, phlegmon, hydradenitis);
  • ENT organs (angina, otitis, sinusitis);
  • the organ of vision (barley, meibomite, dacryocystitis);
  • urino-genital organs (pyelonephritis, cystitis);
  • arthritis, osteomyelitis;
  • colitis, enterocolitis.
• Generalized staphylococcal infection:
  • sepsis;
  • pneumonia, pleurisy;
  • endocarditis;
  • meningitis, brain abscess.
• Staphylococcal intoxications:
  • Staphylococcal food poisoning;
  • Staphylococcal burn-like syndrome, including Ritter's disease;
• Toxic shock syndrome.

Toxic shock syndrome, described in 1978 among women using vaginal swabs from synthetic fiber, which is a breeding ground for staph toxin producing special - toxic shock syndrome toxin (toxic shock in syndrome toxin, TSST). The development of the toxic shock syndrome is possible when plugging wounds, nasal passages, with localized pathological processes that are caused by strains of Staphylococcus aureus, which produces TSST. The toxic shock syndrome is characterized by a sudden onset, severe chills, hyperthermia, headache, myalgia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat. Characterized by diffuse hyperemia of the skin, abundant spotted, spotty-papular, petechial rash followed by skin peeling. Mark diffuse hyperemia of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx, the tongue, injection of the conjunctiva. Symptoms of staphylococcal infection are caused by a marked drop in blood pressure, the development of adult RDS, acute renal failure, liver damage. In the blood, neutrophilic hyperleukocytosis is noted with a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left, an increase in ESR.

Staphylococci cause disease by direct tissue invasion. Also, sometimes staphylococcal infection is caused by the production of exotoxin. Bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus (often accompanied by the formation of metastatic foci of infection) may appear from any localized staphylococcal focus, but especially from an infected intravascular catheter or other foreign body. It can also appear without a visible primary focus of infection. Epidermal staphylococcus and other coagulase-negative staphylococci are increasingly the cause of hospital bacteremia associated with catheters and other foreign bodies. This is an important cause of morbidity (especially lengthening hospitalization) and mortality in weakened patients.

Direct invasion

Skin infections are the most common form of staphylococcal disease. Superficial infections can be diffuse with the formation of vesicles, pustules, impetigo and sometimes cellulite. They can also be focal and nodular (boils, carbuncles). A deep cutaneous abscess is common. Staphylococci often join the infection of wounds and burns, suppuration of postoperative sutures, mastitis or breast abscess in nursing mothers.

Neonatal staphylococcal infection usually appears within 6 weeks after birth and includes skin lesions that can be accompanied by exfoliation, bacteremia, pneumonia and meningitis.

Pneumonia can occur with the flu in patients receiving glucocorticoids or immunosuppressants, as well as in individuals with chronic bronchopulmonary pathology and other diseases that contribute to the development of pneumonia. Nevertheless, Staphylococcus aureus is often the cause of hospital pneumonia. Staphylococcal pneumonia is characterized by the formation of pulmonary abscesses, accompanied by the rapid development of pneumatocell and empyema of the pleura.

Endocarditis is more common in intravenous drug users and in patients with prosthetic valves. This acute febrile illness, often accompanied by abscesses, embolisms, pericarditis, subungual petechiae, subconjunctival hemorrhages, purpura, heart murmurs and valvular heart failure.

Osteomyelitis often occurs in children, causing symptoms of a cold, fever and pain over the affected bone. Subsequently, redness and swelling of the area appear. Periarticular infection is often accompanied by the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity, thus creating an impression of septic arthritis, to a greater extent than osteomyelitis.

[1], [2], [3], [4]

Diseases due to toxin production

Staphylococci can produce multiple toxins. Some of them have a local effect, while others trigger the release of histamine by certain T cells, which in turn leads to serious systemic consequences, including skin lesions, shock, multiple organ failure and death.

Infectious-toxic shock can be the result of the use of vaginal tampons or arise as a complication of infection of postoperative sutures.

Staphylococcal syndrome of scalded skin is caused by the action of several toxins called exfoliates. This disease is an exfoliative dermatitis of childhood and is characterized by the formation of large bullae and cornification of the surface layers of the skin. As a result, there is exfoliation (detachment) of the skin.

Staphylococcal food poisoning occurs when a ready-made, thermostable staphylococcal enterotoxin is used. Food can be contaminated with staphylococcal carriers, or people with active skin infection. In foods that are not completely prepared, as well as in food left at room temperature, staphylococci produce and release enterotoxin. Many dishes can be the growth medium for staphylococcus, but, despite the contamination, retain their normal taste and smell. Acute nausea and vomiting occur 2-8 hours after consuming contaminated food. Usually, after nausea and vomiting, abdominal spasms and diarrhea occur. Symptoms of staphylococcal infection do not last for a long time and end usually less than 12 hours after the onset of the disease.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12]