Strep bacteria

"Strep" - streptococcus bacteria

Strep bacteria live comfortably on our skin without problem.

If and when they get into our blood we often become ill. 

• Staph bacteria mirrors the same range of diseases as strep
  • more known for skin infections such as cellulitis
  • zits
  • most known for food poisoning
• The term streptococcus is often confused with Staphylococcus, or “staph”, or “staph aureus”.
  • strep - streptococcus
  • staph - staphylococcus
    • coccus means oval, round or spherical, the shape
      • without a head or tail

Strep is peaceful or hostile.

• non-invasive living peacefully on the skin
• invasive and attacking to make us sick

Strep normally lives on our skin. When we get very sick or develop other conditions like high blood sugars these strep can invade the body and attack many parts bur more noticed are the kidneys, joints and skin such as diabetic foot ulcers, foot disease,

Blood testing for invasive strep

CRP - C-Reactive Protein

• indicates
  • strep
  • staph
  • inflammation

inflammation means any two of these:

1. pain
2. heat, fever
3. swelling

----- archived reference -----

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Volume 18, Issue 5, Part 1, May 1988, Pages 1048-1052

C-reactive protein levels in venous ulceration: An indication of infection?

lM.J.D.GoodfieldM.A., M.R.C.P

Abstract

The role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of venous ulcers is unclear. It is difficult to be clinically certain of the presence of infection. Routine bacteriology is often unhelpful, and any simple investigation that improves diagnosis in this situation would be of value. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are useful in detecting infection in other situations, and they may be of value in this context as well. C-reactive protein levels were measured in 50 patients with venous leg ulcers and in 20 patients with active venous eczema. There was no elevation of CRP levels in patients with eczema alone, nor in the majority of patients with ulcers. Sixteen patients had raised CRP levels: 7 had clinically obvious infection, and 9 had erythematous skin of uncertain cause surrounding their ulcers. All had positive bacterial cultures from the ulcer base, with β-hemolytic streptococci the main contaminant. Treatment with an appropriate antibiotic reduced CRP levels to normal, cleared the bacteria from the ulcers, and was associated with resolution of erythema. CRP levels appear to distinguish between infectious and inflammatory causes of erythema in patients with gravitational disease.

Copyright © 1988 Published by Mosby, Inc.

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