Staph Infection: Transmission, Causes, and Prevention

Staphylococcus aureus spreads through direct and indirect contact.

Transmission Routes

1. Direct contact: Skin lesions, wounds, respiratory droplets (cough/sneeze).
2. Skin-to-skin: Sports, wrestling, sharing towels/razors.
3. Fomites: Contaminated surfaces, equipment, clothing (survives days).
4. Healthcare-associated: Invasive devices, surgical sites, poor hand hygiene.
5. Foodborne: Enterotoxin from improper food handling (rapid onset vomiting).
6. Zoonotic: Livestock, pets (MRSA ST398).

Risk Factors

• Skin breaks (cuts, eczema, shaving)
• Crowded settings (gyms, barracks, prisons)
• Immunocompromise
• Prior antibiotic use (selects MRSA)

Prevention

• Hand hygiene (soap/water or alcohol gel).
• Cover wounds; don’t share personal items.
• Shower after sports; clean equipment.
• Food safety: proper cooking, storage, handler hygiene.
• Decolonization (mupirocin, chlorhexidine) for recurrent carriers.

MRSA requires targeted antibiotics (TMP-SMX, doxycycline, clindamycin, linezolid, vancomycin IV).