Potentially harmful staph bacteria can lurk deep inside the nose, a new study finds.
“Researchers tested 12 healthy people and found that formerly overlooked sites deep within the nose may be reservoirs for Staphylococcus aureus, which is a major cause of disease. Nearly half of S. aureus strains are antibiotic-resistant,” according to a Stanford University School of Medicine release.
“About one-third of all people are persistent S. aureus carriers, another third are occasional carriers and (the) remaining third don’t seem to carry S. aureus at all,” the study’s senior author, Dr. David Relman, a professor of medicine and microbiology and immunology, said in a university news release.
“Not everyone who carries S. aureus gets sick. When they’re out walking the streets and otherwise healthy, attempts to rid them of their S. aureus are not necessary, and even sometimes futile,” said Relman, who also is chief of the infectious disease section at Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System.
“But once a carrier enters a hospital with an underlying illness or a weakened immune system or a high likelihood of undergoing skin-penetrating procedures, S. aureus carriage is a major liability,” he said.
The release stated that “if S. aureus gets into the bloodstream through a wound, incision or catheter placement, it can cause potentially life-threatening problems such as sepsis, pneumonia or infection of heart valves.”
The study was published Dec. 11 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.
What causes a hangover?
According to the Mayo Clinic, alcohol consumption:
• Causes the body to produce more urine. In turn, urinating more than usual can lead to dehydration.
• Triggers an inflammatory response from the immune system, which may trigger certain agents that produce an inability to concentrate, memory problems, decreased appetite and loss of interest in usual activities.
• Irritates the lining of the stomach. It increases the production of stomach acid and delays stomach emptying. Any of these factors can cause abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting.
• Causes your blood sugar to fall. If it dips too low, it will cause experience fatigue, weakness, shakiness and mood disturbances and even seizures.