Staph infection in the nose is brought about by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In most cases, the bacteria are already present in the body but does not lead to an infection. Various symptoms triggered by the infection involve sites away from the nose. Take note that the infections caused by the staph bacteria localized in the nose might be a combination of other symptoms at distant sites.
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What are the localized symptoms?
The colonization of the nose by the staph bacteria will not trigger an active infection or localized symptoms.
An actual infection are normally secondary infections after the common cold, flu, inflammation, surgery or other ordeal to the nasal membranes that disrupts with the normal initial line of defense provided by the nasal passages.
Yellowish or greenish mucus in the nasal drainage and throat is an indication of an active immune response. Other indications include stuffed nose or nasal congestion, cough, sore throat, fever and pain in the nasal membranes.
Over time, the sinuses are affected which results to headache, pressure along the sinus cavities, fever and chills. A headache changes in intensity with position and subsides shortly after moving out of bed.
Distant skin symptoms
Whether the nose has been colonized or infected with the staph bacteria, it sets the nose for auto-inoculation of faraway skin sites. The usual indications include:
- Pimples – pustules filled with pus that usually form on the face, neck, chest or upper back
- Furuncles or common boil – nodules or pustules that are painful and form anywhere on the skin including the interior of the nose. It is marked by a confined area of redness bordered by a middle core.
- Carbuncle – this is a group of furuncles that develop on any part of the skin and causes necrosis of the adjacent cells with the creation of drainage sinuses or tracts.
- Cellulitis – inflammation of the soft or connective tissue and involves a watery material that spreads to the tissues.
- Abscess – this is a pus-filled cavity that forms by the disintegration of the local tissue
- Impetigo – this is a skin infection that is triggered by any break in the skin by an insect bite, cut or scratch or self-inoculation of the staph bacteria from colonization in the nose