Introduction
Staphylococcus Aureus is a bacterium that lives in the skins or noses. At least 30% of the world’s population, both human and animals carries it (CDC, 2020). In most cases, the bacterium does not cause harm to healthy people. However, S. aureus can produce toxins that cause food poisoning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2020), people with the bacterium can contaminate food by simply touching it. This paper discusses various factors associated with S. aureus, including its morphology and arrangement, symptoms and diagnosis, incubation period, and prevention. Various research studies reveal that food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus is easily treatable and preventable.
Morphology, Arrangement, And Gram Stain of The Bacterium
The electron microscopic scanning of staph shows that the cells are roughly spherical with a smooth surface. The transmission also reveals that the cells have thick walls, amorphous cytoplasm, and unique cytoplasmic membrane with a diameter of between 0.5 to 1.0 μM (Oliveira et al., 2018). The arrangement of cocci is in grape-like clusters built by irregular cell divisions of at least eight cells. According to Ondusko and Nolt (2018), the cells look like a bunch of grapes upon observation under a microscope. Upon gram staining, the bacterium turns gram-positive.
Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of The Disease.
People who eat food contaminated with S. aureus bacteria suddenly experience stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. These symptoms develop as soon as 30 minutes after consumption and could last up to eight hours but not longer than a day (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). The sudden symptoms raise suspicion of the presence of the bacterium food poisoning. Severe cases of S. aureus food poisoning are rare and are not contagious. The doctor does a physical examination by assessing a patient’s reddened or sore areas. The disease is diagnosed through laboratory tests to detect staph toxins in vomits, stools, and food (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). The tests entail the collection of testing samples of either what was consumed or blood, skin, and urine. The doctor may also test for nasal secretions to reveal signs of bacterial infection (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). Additional tests help the physician choose the most viable antibiotic to work against bacteria symptoms.
Once the patient is diagnosed with S. aureus infection, the healthcare provider may recommend imaging tests such as an echocardiogram to show whether the infection has affected the heart. Unless there is an outbreak, doctors diagnose S. aureus food poisoning through symptoms. The most viable form of treatment is taking plenty of fluids (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). Although the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to control diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, the toxins are not affected by the medicine (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). In severe and rare cases, food poisoning patients may require intravenous fluids.
Incubation Period, Duration of Illness, And Convalescence Period
People suffering from S. aureus food poisoning take 0 to 30 minutes before showing the first symptom. However, the incubation period is varied depending on health status and the individual’s digestive system (Gajdács, 2019). While people with weaker health may take the shortest periods, the healthy ones may take more than one day to show. According to CDC (2020), the average time of illness is between 30 minutes to eight hours. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, patients take between one and four days to recover (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). People with weaker immune systems may require continuous administration of intravenous fluids.
Chemotherapeutic Agents (Drugs) Used for Treatment and Vaccines
There are a variety of antibiotics to treat S. aureus food poisoning, depending on the level of infection. The most common drugs are oxacillin, nafcillin, linezolid, vancomycin, cefazolin, and daptomycin (Gajdács, 2019). Vancomycin is often recommended for serious staph food poisoning. Due to the increased drug resistance of bacterium, vancomycin and other antibiotics are given through a vein. However, the doctors warn that administering vancomycin and daptomycin as IV increases the risk of more side effects.
Currently, there is no S. aureus vaccine to prevent the bacterium infection. The development of vaccines against the bacterium has so far failed (Oliveira et al., 2018). However, there are ongoing research and clinical trials for potential vaccines. The research focuses on identifying a novel vaccine formulation that can evoke potent humoral and cellular immune reactions (Oliveira et al., 2018). Translational studies attempt to discover protection correlates using animal, ex vivo, and in vitro models (Oliveira et al., 2018). Consequently, new vaccine candidates are under human clinical trials within the target population.
Transmission of the Bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus can be transmitted from one person to another through contaminated hands. When a person with an active S. aureus bacterium touches food with unwashed hands, the toxins multiply to contaminate the food (CDC, 2020). Eventually, anyone that consumes the contaminated food gets food poisoning. The mucous membranes and skin are effective barriers to preventing transmission (CDC, 2020). However, these barriers can be breached through skin damage, allowing the bacterium to reach the bloodstream, and resulting in an infection. The hands easily transmit the disease because they lack such barriers (CDC, 2020). People with compromised immune systems are vulnerable to these types of infections.
How To Avoid The Bacterium/Illness
It is possible to avoid the bacterium or its infection by taking several preventative measures. One of the most critical measures is thoroughly washing hands to clean all possible germs (CDC, 2020). Healthcare providers advise people to wash their hands with soap and running water for 20 seconds or more (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). The hands should then be dried with a disposable towel, and use the towel to close the water tap. One can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if the hands are not physically dirty or not in a position to wash them (Gajdács, 2019). The hands should be washed as regularly as possible, especially before and after handling food, touching raw poultry and meat, and visiting the bathroom.
Physical wounds should stay clean and covered with a dry, sterile bandage until healing. According to Ondusko and Nolt (2018), the pus from fresh wounds could contain the bacteria, hence possible transmission. Individuals should maintain a high level of hygiene by washing soiled clothes, towels, and bedding. Cleaning should be thoroughly done using detergent and then dried. It is not advisable to share personal care items, including towels and razors (Ondusko & Nolt, 2018). Due to the possibility of contamination through hands, people should thoroughly wash food products before eating. Although all food should be well cooked before eating, meat and poultry should be cooked with high heat.
More about Staphylococcus Aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is non-acid fast because when stained with acid, it easily decolorizes. Decolorization is made possible by the absence of mycolic acid in its thick cell walls (Gajdács, 2019). When the bacteria infection is treated with acid-alcohol solvents, it losses its primary red color (Oliveira et al., 2018). The bacterium continually develops mechanisms to escape responses from the human immune. For example, to resist phagocytic clearance, the bacterium produces a polysaccharide capsule that masks the bacterial surface and associated proteins from recognition (Gajdács, 2019). Additional factors, such as the secretion of extracellular fibrinogen binding proteins, which further block phagocytic, make the bacterium more drug-resistant.
S. aureus produces several cytolytic toxins, among them responsible for lysing white and red blood cells. Hemolysins lyse red blood cells, while white blood cells are targeted by leukotoxins (Oliveira et al., 2018). Most cytolytic toxins have recently indicated the need for receptor interaction to function effectively. Other toxins the bacterium produces are enterotoxin, shock syndrome toxin-1, and exfoliative toxin (Oliveira et al., 2018). Apart from the toxins, S. aureus has other virulence factors, including surface proteins and enzymes. When the bacterium enters the bloodstream, it can easily lead to death or sepsis (Gajdács, 2019). While in the bloodstream, the bacterium can cause bone, joint, and blood infections. S. aureus food poisoning is the second leading cause of death among illnesses caused by an infectious agent (Oliveira et al., 2018). People with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, lung disease, eczema, and those who inject drugs into their bodies (CDC, 2020). Crawling children are also at high risk, especially those in poor hygienic conditions.
Conclusion
Food poisoning caused by S. aureus is mostly less dangerous and easily treatable. Although the bacterium is resistant to antibiotics, it is easily eliminated by taking plenty of fluids. The antibiotics effectively control symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Staph food poisoning can be avoided by regularly washing hands and maintaining a higher level of personal hygiene. The bacterium produces several toxins that overcome white blood cells and drains red blood cells. Untreated S. aureus food poisoning could lead to dehydration and blood deficiency.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Staphylococcus aureus in healthcare settings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Gajdács, M. (2019). The continuing threat of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics, 8(2), 52.
Oliveira, D., Borges, A., & Simões, M. (2018). Staphylococcus aureus toxins and their molecular activity in infectious diseases. Toxins, 10(6), 252.
Ondusko, D. S., & Nolt, D. (2018). Staphylococcus aureus. Pediatrics in Review, 39(6), 287-298.