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Staph infection is the common name for an infection caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria. These bacteria can be harmless and it can also cause some very serious illnesses. Symptoms of illness caused by Staphylococcus can be so mild that you don’t even know you have and infection and it requires not treatment, to so bad that the infection can easily kill you.

The Greek language is the source of the scientific name for these bacteria - Staphyle: a bunch of grapes, and Kokkos: berries. This means bacteria which looks like either a bunch of grapes or berries when looked at under the microscope.

They are “gram-positive, facultative anaerobic unencapsulated cocci”. Whether this makes you any wiser or not is hard to say, but is looks and sounds very intelligent. If you can get your tongue around this description, the next time you have a wound which goes a little septic, you can say.

What we do need to know however is that there are over 30 varieties of this bacteria, and 20% - 30% of healthy people walk around with this naturally occurring on their skin and inside their noses.

20 - 305 of healthy people carry these bacteria on the inside of their noses and on the skin. There are 30 types of Staphylococcus bacteria, and they generally duplicate and cause infection when the skin is broken and the host is unable to fend off the infection.

There are some of us who are more liable to get Staph infections, and this can be dangerous. Particularly for breastfeeding mothers, newborn babies, people with chronic illnesses, intravenous drug abusers, people who have undergone invasive surgery, and people with HIV or other illnesses which compromise the immune system. You do not have to fit into these categories however and anyone can get a Staph infection.

It can also affect people who have weak immune systems and people who have had surgery, but virtually anyone is able to contract a staph infection.

Skin infections are the most common, the area affected is generally painful, red, swollen and pus is usually present. In breastfeeding women it can cause mastitis, which releases bacteria into the mothers’ milk. And when this bacteria gets into the bloodstream more serious illnesses can occur.