Staphylococcus is a genus of bacteria that are one of the most widespread microorganisms on the planet, with which people face daily in everyday life and whose carriers are spoken by a large part of the population. In total there are about 30 types of staphylococci, about half of which can live peacefully in the human body. Three types of these microorganisms are considered very dangerous, capable under certain conditions to cause serious, threatening complications: golden, epidermal and saprophytic staphylococci.
Infectious process can develop due to activation of its own microflora with weakening of immunity or supercooling, as well as in exogenous infection, when the pathogen enters the tissues of an organ in which it normally should not be. The ways of infection with staphylococcus are different: food, contact, airborne, intrauterine, etc. The defeat in the nose most often causes staphylococcus aureus and epidermal.
Symptoms of staphylococcus in the nose
Actively developing and multiplying on the nasal mucosa, bacteria cause the following manifestations:
- nasal congestion ;
- abundant secretion of mucus, which acquires a purulent character;
- redness, swelling of nasal mucosa and nasopharynx;
- pustules in the nose (sometimes);
- increased body temperature;
- general malaise.
In some cases, the infection can cause atrophy of the nasal mucosa, accompanied by symptoms such as itching, dry nose, lack of smell. Complications of the common cold caused by staphylococcus can be sinusitis , frontal tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia.
Sowing from the nose on staphylococcus aureus
The main method of diagnosis of staphylococcal infection is the sowing of material taken from the surface of the mucous nasal cavity (swab from the nose). Before the analysis, to avoid obtaining unreliable results, one should not rinse the nose, use any medicinal nasal drugs. When taking a swab from the nose, a cotton swab is inserted into each nostril and, easily pressing against the walls of the nasal cavity, material is collected for examination.
The norm of staphylococcus in the nose is considered to be an index not exceeding 104 cfu / ml. However, it should be borne in mind that even if a bacterium of this genus is detected in larger numbers, if there are no real symptoms of the disease, no treatment should be carried out. Unfortunately, the prescription of antibiotic therapy for the detection of the carriage of staphylococcus (and not the development of staphylococcal infection!) Is still a common medical error, because of which patients' immunity suffers and the balance of microflora in the body is disturbed.
How to treat staphylococcus in the nose?
Treatment of staphylococcal infection, including in the nose, is not an easy task, which is due to the ability of these microorganisms to rapidly develop resistance to antibiotic drugs. Therefore, before the appointment of therapy, it is obligatory to conduct bacteriological analysis to identify the sensitivity of the causative agent of infection to one or another medication. Although systemic antibiotics for the treatment of confirmed staphylococcal infection in the nose are used only in the most severe cases. The correct method of treatment of this pathology is local immunostimulating or antimicrobial therapy, namely, the appointment of the following drugs:
- Nasal Spray IRS-19 - a preparation based on bacterial lysates, which promote the activation of the production of protective antibodies.
- Solution Staphylococcal bacteriophage is a preparation containing specific viruses that can kill staphylococcus cells.
- Nasal ointment Bactroban is a local antibiotic against staphylococci and other pathogens that live in the nose and cause infectious processes.
- Alcohol solution Chlorophyllipt - a preparation on a natural basis, destructive to staphylococci, resistant to antibiotics.
For the treatment of staphylococcus in the nose, it is also necessary to wash the nose with saline solutions, in some cases - to use vasoconstrictor drops and sprays, and also to improve general immunity.