- normal flora of nose and skin
- virulence factors - coagulase, hemolysin, protein A (ties up Abs)
- Abs against staph are of limited effectiveness
- coagulase positive staph (pyogenes and aureus) is a potent pathogen
- catalase positive
- most common cuase of bacterial skin abscess
- furuncels are single pimples, carbuncles are pimple clusters linked together by tracks of tissue necrosis which involve the fascia
- staph sepsis is rare but serious
- impetigo is a pediatric infection limited to the stratum corneum of the skin - look for honey-colored crusts
- staph infections of the nail bed (paronychia) and palmar fingertips (felons) are especially painful and destructive
- propionibacterium causes acne
- staph endocarditis is common and can involve either side of heart
- while S. aureus can invade the gut, it is much more common to encounter food poisoning due to strains which have produced enterotoxin B, from unrefrigerated meat or milk products
- toxic shock syndrome produces shock syndrome toxin 1
- scalded skin syndrome is caused by strains of epidermolytoc toxin
- methicillin resistant staph aureus - causes much alarm; most hospital strains are sensitive
- coagulase negative staph (epidermidis) are skin commensals and opportunists which infect the prosthetic heart
