Staph bacteria are commonly found on healthy skin and inside the nose without causing any trouble. An infection can develop when the bacteria enter broken skin, a wound or another part of the body where they do not belong. Most staph infections can be treated successfully, but recognising the signs early is important because some infections can spread quickly. On this page What is a staph infection? Six signs to recognise Who is more vulnerable? Diagnosis and treatment Protecting yourself and others When to seek urgent help What Is a Staph Infection? Staph infections are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus . They can range from small skin infections to more serious infections involving the blood, lungs, heart, bones or other organs. MRSA is a type of Staphylococcus aureus that...

  Sepsis can start from something that looks “ordinary” - a chest infection, a urinary tract infection, a skin wound, even a stomach bug. The danger is not the infection itself, but the way the body can sometimes overreact to it. In sepsis, the immune response becomes dysregulated and can begin to damage the body’s own organs. This is why sepsis is treated as a medical emergency: it can worsen quickly, and early treatment truly can be life-saving. What is sepsis? Normally, your immune system fights infection and then settles down. With sepsis, that “fight response” becomes intense and widespread. Blood flow and oxygen delivery to vital organs can be affected, and the body can begin to show signs of organ strain - such as confusion, very fast breathing, or passing little to no urine. The most important takeaway is this: sepsis is time-critical, and it’s always better to be checked early than to wait and hope it passes. The red-flag signs you should treat as urgent If an ad...