“What is the treatment for a staph infection?”
My 9 year old daughter was diagnosed with a staph infection. What is the treatment for a staph infection?
9 Answers
Dr. Bin S. Sung
Pediatrician
See your friendly doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Infection can be minor or major. Sometimes, it's not infection at all.
I am hoping whoever diagnosed you kid with Staph infection, they should have given antibiotics - either topical or oral antibiotic depending on location of infection.
Usha
Usha
The treatment for a staph infection is typically a course of oral antibiotics. Sometimes, depending on the location, a topical antibiotic ointment may also be applied. In situations of severe staph infections or infections that are resistant to oral antibiotics, intravenous therapy may be necessary.
Depends on location of staph and kind of staph. If it is just a simple open wound without complications it can just be treated with a prescription ointment. But if it is a abscess or cellulitis it needs oral antibiotics and sometimes drainage of abscess. If she has a staph called MRSA it needs to be treated thoroughly.
The treatment is Antibiotics, usually oral for 10 days & sometimes antibiotic cream as well depending on severity.
It really depends on what kind of staph infection she has. If it just superficial on her skin then maybe a topical antibiotic such as mupirocin May be enough. If she had an abscess it should be drained. More serious infection need systemic antibiotics. Staph is one of the bacteria that is known to become resistant to antibiotic. Maybe you have heard the acronym MRSA that means methicillin resistant Staph aureus and means it must be treated with non standard antibiotics.
It would be helpful to know where the infection is. Clindamycin is usually indicated. Bactroban ointment is effective. Numerous other antibiotics have staph coverage.
If it is a single pustule you can use bactroban but if there is multiple or the infection is severe oral antibiotics may be also given. If you do not have sulfa allergy bactrim is usually given. Clindamycin can be used but resistance is 50% in our area. If you are hospitalized IV vancomycin may be given. These are some of the options