Staph infections are caused by a bacterium known as staphylococcus which is round-shaped and is found as single or double cells and even in the form of clusters. Any part of the body can contract this condition. Typically, most staph infections begin by infesting the skin or the cuts on it. At times, they can enter the bloodstream and spread in different body areas causing alarming health conditions.

Any person can get a staph infection, but the individuals who are at a maximum risk of catching it are

• Newborn babies
• Diabetics
• People with fragile immune system due conditions like cancer, lung disorders, skin diseases, injuries, etc.
• Women who are nursing
• Individuals who have had recent surgical incisions

In case you are wondering what does a staph infection looks like, it is characterized by skin conditions like a sty, boils, furuncles or carbuncles and sometimes they can exhibit themselves in serious forms such as impetigo, cellulitis or folliculitis. On the other hand, if you are dealing with more dangerous sorts of internal staph infections then there might be signs of food poisoning, blood poisoning, toxic shock syndrome, pneumonia, sepsis, etc.

Milder forms of staph infections will be scrutinized with the help of physical exams and lab exams involving the testing of blood, tissue or secretion samples. Based on the results the doctor will recommend the best treatment plan. These can comprise the use of oral antibiotics, draining the wound or removal of the device (if your staph infection is caused due to a prosthetic or medical device). In the case of antibiotic resistance, doctors may introduce IV antibiotics which are stronger than the regular oral variants.

The onset of staph infections is unpredictable, but it can be easily taken care of with some simple precautions such as

• Covering the wounds If you have recently suffered from any cuts, keep it sanitized and covered with bandages until they heal and dry entirely.
• Washing hands Ensure that you regularly wash your hands, especially before eating or drinking something. If you don’t have access to water, then always keep a sanitizer bottle in handy.
• Don’t share personal items Often sharing personal products such as razors, clothing, makeup, towels, etc. can increase the risk of staph infections.
• Hygiene practices in home Like mentioned earlier, staph infections can spread via objects. So, make it a point to disinfect your bedsheets and clothing by washing them on a weekly basis with a good cleaning solution.
• Avoid tampons Toxic shock syndrome has become a common scenario in the past few years due to the use of tampons. Using this product for prolonged periods can initiate a staph infection, so ensure that you keep changing your tampons in every few hours. If possible replace them with sanitary pads.

The bacteria that cause staph infection, called Staphylococcus aureus, live on everybody’s skin and are mostly dormant until they are triggered. Lack of hygiene trigger the bacteria and that results in staph infection. The cases of women getting or contacting staph infection after visiting a beauty salon in the country are surprising yet true. Staph infection can spread if no hygiene is maintained. Hence is it immensely important for people to stay aware and clean.

There are some body parts that are more prone to picking up the staph infections than the others. If you are thinking that the most common body part to catch staph infection is the nose and mouth, then you are partially wrong. This is because your feet are more prone than any other body part to catch an infection from the floor.

Keeping your floor clean and sterilized will prevent you from catching a staph infection. If you have to walk without shoes on a floor where cleaning is not possible, then always wear socks. This will keep your feet from coming directly in contact with the dirty floor and keep all the signs of staph infection away.
Once you have identified the infection by focusing on the signs of staph infection, there are ways you can try to get rid of staph infection.
Boils, impetigo, cellulitis, are some of the skin infections that are a sign of staph infection. Other uncommon signs of staph infections are: skin

How to get rid of staph infection?
The only way to get rid of staph infection is by treating it. There are antibiotics you can take that help in curing the disease. Before you get yourself some over-the-counter medicines, it is better if you consult your doctor first. The doctor will look at all the signs of staph infection and accordingly prescribe you the right antibiotic. In most cases, the antibiotics for treating staph infection are cephalosporins, nafcillin or vancomycin. Wound drainage is another way to treat the staph infection if you have a skin infection. Here, the doctor will drain the fluid out via incision in the sore.

How to prevent staph infection from affecting you again?
It is not that difficult to prevent yourself from staph infection. People get infections from other people because of low immunity. So, if you have once suffered from staph infection, make sure you work towards strengthening your immune system so you never catch this infection again. Other than immunity, you can pay attention to personal and surrounding hygiene as we discussed above.

The bacteria that causes staph infection is called staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Usually this bacterium doesn’t cause any infection and is in fact harmless. However, the infection can occur when this bacterium multiplies after entering the body.

It is common to have this bacteria that causes staph infection living under your nose as you are reading this. There are many ways to know the signs of staph infection. Though this is not a fatal infection as long as it is limited to the skin, but once and if the infection enters the bloodstream, lungs, urinary tract or heart, it can be fatal. Hence, it is important to know the signs of staph infection to be able to cure it sooner.

The infected person will get a fever with rash as one of the early signs of staph infection. This can also be symptoms of other skin related infections and diseases, and that is why you need to get a diagnosis done to start the right treatments.

Shortness of breath and chest pain could be one of the signs of staph infection entering the blood. If you get these signs then get an immediate medical help so through treatments and cure you can prevent the infection from entering the bloodstream.

If you notice a painful rash and boils with pus in them, then that is because of a staph infection. As signs of staph infection, you will get swelling in the area with pain that includes fever and chills and low blood pressure or hypo tension.

Staph infections start from the skin and if left untreated can enter the bones or the bloodstream. Signs of staph infections are easy to identify as the symptoms will appear on the skin first. If you see an area that looks like an infection and gives the site of an injury, it could be a staph infection.

A crusty weepy rash can be another symptom of staph infection. Staph causes other skin infections that can be a considered as symptoms of staph infections, such as, impetigo, cellulitis, boils and staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.

Impetigo is a contagious painful rash that consists of large blisters that may ooze fluid or pus.

Cellulitis is an infection that affects the skin and the deeper skin (tissues beneath the skin). When you get cellulitis, you will see redness, pain and tenderness. Though this infection can occur anywhere in the body, you will see it mostly affecting people in their legs.

Getting a medical attention at the sight of any of the aforementioned signs and symptoms is advised.

Caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus, chickenpox strikes a lot of people during childhood. Since the introduction of chickenpox vaccine, the incidents of this disease have become low. However, if a person has not been vaccinated against the disease and has never been infected with this virus, they can be susceptible to chickenpox. Also, after one episode of chickenpox, it rarely re-occurs. But if someone has a weak immune system, the virus may become active again and cause shingles.

Chickenpox occurs in four stages; each of these stages can be identified with a set of symptoms and by looking at chickenpox photos. The incubation period of the virus is two weeks; the symptoms become visible two weeks after first contracting the virus. Here are a few ways to identify chicken pox according to the stages:

• Pre-eruptive stage: There are no chickenpox photos available for this stage since the symptoms are not visible. They are not easily conspicuous and are often mistaken for symptoms of fatigue or common cold. The symptoms of this stage include feeling feverish and tired, headache, a general feeling of malaise, muscle pain, body ache, and back pain. Some people may also experience shivering, coughing, and a feeling of nausea. Usually, this stage lasts for a day. In some cases, it may last for a longer time.
• Eruptive stage: This stage follows the pre-eruptive stage. Many websites have chickenpox photos available to show how the infection looks like in this stage. Blisters and rashes start to erupt all over the torso. After a couple of days, the rashes break and scab over. Then, the blisters appear in the arms, legs, and face. The blisters are filled with pus. The disease is the most contagious at this stage.

It takes about two weeks for all the blisters to dry and the scabs to fall off. There might be 400-600 blisters all over the body during this period. For more clarity, you can look at chickenpox photos online and observe each stage as it occurs. This might help in quick diagnosis.

Treatment
Chickenpox does do not require any medications for treatment. The skin heals, and the infection goes away in a couple of weeks on its own. However, there might be severe symptoms in some cases, which might require medical attention. These symptoms include high fever that lasts for more than two days, breathing troubles, and coughing. The person finds it difficult to wake up and has difficulty in walking or looking at bright lights. If these symptoms persist, immediately consult a doctor.

Viruses are the main reasons for causing different types of viral infections. Viral infections can be either treated by vaccination or with the use of antiviral drugs. There are however a number of viral infections which are capable of avoiding the immune response from these countermeasures and develop resistance through mutation.

This is why it is imperative to understand the different types of viral infection and the most common diseases caused by the same. Here is a comprehensive list of common viral infections and their associated viruses.

Encephalitis or Meningitis: Symptoms are mainly caused due to virus strains like JC virus (John Cunnigham Virus), measles, arbovirus and LCM virus (Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis).

Common cold: Common cold affects a majority of the population caused due to rhinoviruses, Parainfluenza virus and also respiratory syncytial virus with mild symptoms like a headache, fever, nausea, fatigue among others.

Pharyngitis: A condition which results in inflammation in the back of the throat affecting the pharynx, which results in symptoms like a sore throat and fever. The viruses commonly causing this condition include Adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus.

Eye infections: Visible indicators of eye infections include pain, itching due to any foreign object in the eyes, sensitivity to light, redness and small lines visible in the white part of the eyeball, crusty puss formation due to a bacterial infection among others. Adenovirus and cytomegalovirus are mainly responsible for causing eye infections.

Pneumonia: A severe lung infection which is caused due to strains of viruses including influenza virus A and B, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus or SARS coronavirus. Common symptoms of pneumonia include a cough with phlegm, fever, chills, difficulty in breathing with a sharp pain in the chest.

Viral skin infections: Varicella-zoster virus, human herpesvirus 6, smallpox, molluscum, contagious, human papillomavirus, Parvovirus B19, rubella, Measles, Coxsackie A virus are the common culprits causing skin infections and the associated symptoms.

Parotitis: Parotitis is a viral infection which affects the salivary glands curable by vaccination. Common symptoms include pain in the abdomen, muscles, pelvis or even in the testicles. People might also experience chills in the body, combined with fatigue, fever leading to loss of appetite. Difficulty in swallowing or soreness in the throat. Other common symptoms of Parotitis include dry mouth, headache, swelling in the neck, swollen lymph nodes, swollen salivary glands and even mild hearing loss.

Other viral infections with carrier viruses which can be transmitted include Pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, cardiovascular, hepatitis, gingivostomatitis, and myelitis among others.

Viral infections are caused due to a number of viruses present in the environment, which can be transmitted easily depending on the type of virus and infection. Respiratory viral infections are caused due to airborne viruses while a foodborne virus can get transmitted via foods and drinks consumed. There are certain viral infections which can get transmitted sexually or even just by kissing, allowing the carrier virus to enter your system thorugh saliva.

Common symptoms of viral infections include fever, weakness, muscle aches, rash, coughing, vomiting, sneezing, diarrhea, runny nose, chills, and headache.

Severe symptoms of viral infections include changes in your personality, stiffness in the neck, sleepiness experienced more than usual, bladder impairment and irregular bowel functions, dehydration, seizures, back pain, confusion, paralysis of the limbs among others.

Although there are specific indicators of a developing viral infection, common symptoms can be quite confusing to identify on your own which is why medical attention is advised. It is imperative to consult with medical professionals as soon as the symptoms start showing up, especially in children.

Before a course of treatment can be advised by your doctors, the type of viral infection has to be diagnosed.

The various diagnostic tests include:

• A blood test which is conducted to check for the type of virus, antibodies or antigens causing the viral fever.
• Lab test which includes blood cultures, body fluids culture to isolate the causes and identify the strain of viruses. In case of viral skin infections, samples of the infected area are taken to analyze the type of viral infection.
• Spinal tap test is done to examine the cerebrospinal fluid.
• To accurately identify the chain of the virus, a technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to make copies of the genetic material of the virus to replicate the same.

Treatments for viral infection include:

• Vaccination is the primary method when it comes to controlling the disease which is why they say prevention is better than cure. Regular and timely vaccination against viruses will ensure a healthy immune system to tackle an imminent viral attack.
• Antiviral drugs is the second option for treatment of many of the common symptoms of a viral infection, though they are not as effective as vaccination. Antiviral drugs are developed to inhibit virus blocking proteins administered in the immune system to control and at best reduce the symptoms. However for a more effective and long lasting cure, vaccination is recommended.

Viral infections can spread very easily and rely on a healthy host to infect through the virus. These are normally categorized into air borne, food borne, sexually transmitted infections among others. However, bacterial and viral infections exhibit signs and symptoms which make it easy to identify depending on the type of virus.

As they rightly say “Prevention is better than cure” here are a few preventive measures which can be adopted to ensure a viral infection doesn’t develop. In case it does develop, a cure can be administered to the affected host through the following administrative therapies.

Immune protection: The idea is to protect against viral illnesses with the use of antibodies and vaccines to developing a strong immune system against specific diseases. This process is also known as immunoprophylaxis. Vaccines will be recommended by medical professionals against some of the most common viral infections.

Active immunization: For common viral infections which have a high chance of affecting your immune system, active immunization will help the body produce specific and targeted immunity against viruses that cause infections. These are categorized into vaccines which are available for preventive treatment against attenuated live viruses, killed viruses, and recombinant produced antigens. Vaccination protects 90% of the recipients against common viral infections and boosts immunity.

Passive immunizations: Alternatively known passive prophylaxis, the immunity against common viral infections is administered using antibodies which have been formed in a third party host. This therapy is for people who have been exposed to viral infections and cannot be treated with regular vaccination, which is why the antibodies are developed in a different host for the cure measure to be effective.

Antiviral agents: Antiviral agents are classified into virucidal agents, antiviral agents, and immunomodulators. Agents which attack the virus directly and deactivate it are virucidal agents; antiviral agents interrupt the life cycle of a developing virus to curb the infection while immunomodulators alter the immune system of the host to tackle the viral infection. Most of these agents are in development phases with clinical trials conducted to ensure a safe and effective administration of the therapy.

Interferon therapy: Apart from vaccinations and immunizations, interferons have been developed and have proven effective for some viral infections. Interferons are proteins secreted to protect the cells in your body to block the virus from finding a healthy host and spreading throughout.

Reducing viral exposure: This can be done by proper sanitation control which will ensure a clean environment and surrounding, thus preventing the viral infections which are air borne or can be transmitted through food from thriving on external hosts.

Viral infections are commonly caused due to a host virus attack on the immune system. Since viruses cannot survive and grow on their own, they attach to cells in the body to introduce the genetic material of the carrier virus ultimately killing the host cell and replacing it with virus cell copies. This is how a viral infection spreads internally, slowly affecting all the healthy cells in the vicinity. Immediate medical attention is advised if the symptoms start showing up.

The most common types of viral infections are divided across categories like respiratory viral infections, viral skin infections, foodborne viral infections, sexually transmitted viral infections among others.

Rhinovirus: A type of viral infection which is known to cause the common cold with mild symptoms like coughing, sneezing, headache and sore throat.

Flu: Alternatively known as seasonal influenza, flu symptoms include symptoms like body aches and fatigue apart from common cold symptoms which are more severe. It is estimated that about 5% to 20% of the population in the country suffer from the flu.

Molluscum contagiosum: This is a viral skin infection which most commonly affects children. However, symptoms have been experienced by adults as well. They include small flesh colored bumps which are a noticeable indicator of the developing symptoms.

Herpes simplex virus: Known to cause cold sores, HSV-1 is a common virus which can be transmitted through saliva by kissing or sharing food and drinks with someone who has been infected previously. Avoiding physical contact is the only preventive solution.

Varicella-zoster virus: Known to cause the chicken pox, VZV is a highly contagious viral infection and can spread very easily if you come in contact with the person who previously was suffering from symptoms or you come in contact with anything they might have touched or used. Shingles is another condition which can be developed because of VZV.

Hepatitis A: Hepatitis virus is a food borne virus which affects the liver with symptoms that include skin color turning to yellow, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting which can last anywhere from a few weeks to even several months. Recurrent symptoms have been developed by patients after complete cure in at least 15%-20% of Hepatitis A cases.

Human papillomavirus (HPV): This is one of the most common sexually transmitted viral infections in the country with symptoms which can also increase the risk of cervical cancer and genital warts. Vaccination helps protect the HPV from developing cancer causing strains of the virus.

West Nile virus is a mosquito borne infection which causes West Nile fever. Common West Nile virus symptoms start showing up between 2 to 15 days after onset normally depending on the severity of the condition. However, in most cases, it is very difficult to identify the symptoms since 8 out of 10 people don’t seem to develop any in the first place.

Fever, headaches, and fatigue can be indicators of developing West Nile fever. Muscle pain, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and developing rashes might be more prominent and noticeable when it comes to West Nile Virus symptoms. There is a high chance of people developing a Febrile illness which is a type of fever with the symptoms that last for weeks and even months.

However, there are serious symptoms which can develop over time, which tends to affect the central nervous system. Severe symptoms include inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or even inflammation of the membranes (meningitis)

Here is a comprehensive list of West Nile virus symptoms:

Numbness and paralysis, vision loss, muscle weakness, uncontrollable convulsions, tremors, disorientation, stupor, stiffness in the neck, headaches and high fever which indicate developing signs of severe illness due to West Nile virus.

People with medical conditions will experience a greater risk of developing West Nile virus symptoms. Common medical conditions include hypertension, diabetes to even more complex conditions like kidney disease and cancer. People who have received any organ transplants are at a greater risk, compared to other possibilities.

There is no particular age at which this virus is fatal. However, people who are over the age of 60 will have a much harder time dealing with the symptoms and adapting themselves to a course of treatment to cure the same.

West Nile virus symptoms affecting the central nervous system might be permanent, however the normal recovery time for will range from a couple of weeks to even more than a couple of months. Medical attention is advised as soon as some of the more noticeable symptoms show up.

There is no specific course of treatment which includes a vaccine and antiviral prescription to tackle the virus. For mild symptoms, over the counter pain killers can be used to control the fever. Supportive treatment for more severe symptoms includes a course of intravenous fluids, pain medication and round the clocks nursing after hospitalization.

Since this is a mosquito borne and spread infection, effective mosquito control will ensure the infection doesn’t spread.

According to WHO, 80 percent of deaths due to liver cancer have been caused by Hepatitis C. Nearly 1 million people have been killed by this disease. It is estimated that approximately 3 million people in the US are affected by the Hepatitis C virus. In most cases, Hepatitis C goes undetected, until a critical stage is reached. By this time, it is too late to take any preventive or remedial measures.

Hepatitis C is caused by a virus that infects the liver and spreads through the blood. It usually spreads through contaminated syringes or by the sharing of injections and through transfusion of blood, which might not have been tested for Hepatitis C virus. There have been cases of the Hepatitis C virus spreading sexually and also from an infected mother to her infant. However, these are very uncommon instances of the transmission of this virus. Hepatitis C virus does not spread through casual contact or sharing food with an infected person. The virus also does not spread through breast milk, food, or water.

Hepatitis C virus usually takes about two weeks to six months to manifest any discernible symptoms. The symptoms are quite generic: fever, reduced appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, joint pain, jaundice, and so on. These symptoms are quite common with other diseases like flu, diarrhea, jaundice, and so on. Hence, it becomes quite difficult to detect the Hepatitis C virus. After the first infection, it has been observed that nearly 80 percent of the patients do not show any symptoms of infection.

Since in majority of the cases, the virus remains undetected and undiagnosed for a long time, it has been labelled as a slow and silent killer by medical experts and professionals. The initial phase is called as acute Hepatitis C. In this stage, the infected person exhibits mild symptoms, which can be caught by an alert medical practitioner. However, in most cases, patients go from acute to chronic stage without any substantial diagnosis.

The chronic stage is when the liver gets infected to a greater degree. Sometimes, this may take decades after the initial infection. The virus hits the immune system hard. Although treatment in the chronic stage is not impossible, it does become difficult to completely eliminate the strain of the virus from the body. After elimination, it has to be ensured that the patient does not relapse. With consistent progress in the R&D of this virus, affordable and accessible treatment of the disease has now become possible.