Staphylococcal infections - Preventing staphylococcal infections

You can help to prevent staphylococcal infections by practising good hygiene to stop germs from spreading. If you have a weakened immune system you will need to take extra precautions.

Staphylococcal skin infections

You can reduce your chances of developing a staphylococcal skin infection by:

• washing your hands regularly
• keeping your skin clean by having a bath or shower every day
• keeping any cuts clean and covered

If you come into contact with someone who has a staphylococcal skin infection - for example, if you touch the infected site or the pus that it produces, you should wash your hands thoroughly using warm water and soap.

If you have a staphylococcal skin infection, remove any pus from the surface of the infected area immediately to prevent the infection from spreading  to another part of your body. Clean the area with antiseptic or an antibacterial soap.

As staphylococcal bacteria are easily passed from one person to another, any towels, washcloths and bed linen used by someone with a staphylococcal infection should not be used by anyone else. They should be changed daily until the symptoms disappear and washed separately in hot water.

Read more about keeping skin healthy and how to prevent germs spreading.

Invasive staphylococcal infections

You will need to take extra precautions if you have an increased risk of developing a staphylococcal infection due to having a weakened immune system.

You should:

• not smoke or use illegal drugs because these will further weaken your immune system
• eat a healthy diet to help strengthen your immune system
• take regular exercise to also help strengthen your immune system
• wash your hands regularly, particularly after going to the toilet, before and after preparing food, and after spending time in crowded places

Staphylococcal food poisoning

The best way to prevent staphylococcal food poisoning is to ensure food is both properly cooked and properly chilled.

People with infected cuts should cover their wounds to ensure they do not contaminte food during preparation.

Cooking food properly

Make sure food is cooked right through and is piping hot in the middle. If you reheat food, make sure it is piping hot all the way through and never reheat food more than once.

Chilling food properly

It is important to keep certain foods at the correct temperature to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Always check the label on the packaging for the correct storage instructions.

Food that needs to be chilled should always be stored in the fridge. If these foods are left standing at room temperature, bacteria can grow and multiply to dangerous levels. Set your fridge temperature to 0-5C (32-41F).

Cooked leftovers should be cooled quickly, ideally within one to two hours, before being put in the fridge or freezer. Putting food in shallow containers and dividing it into smaller amounts will help speed up the cooling process.

Read more about food hygiene and preventing food poisoning.