A 38-year-old member asked:
can a staph infection spread by kissing?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Martin Raff answered
Infectious Disease 56 years experience
Staph infection: Unlikely to be spread by kissing, but once you have been colonized with this by kissing or other nose-to-hand-to-nose activities, the organism colonizes your skin and subsequent breaks in skin can lead to infection.
4808 views
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Similar questions
A 21-year-old member asked:
How do you get a staph infection?
5 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

Dr. Pedro Hernandez answered
Geriatrics 40 years experience
Staph infections.: Staphylococcus lives in our skin and nostrils. Any minor wound in the skin may cause it.Some pts are immunocompromised and present frequent staph infections. Staph may travel through the blood or by continuity to other parts like bone, the heart valves.
6110 views
A 37-year-old member asked:
Do you get staph infection when someone sneezes on you?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Videh Mahajan answered
Internal Medicine 25 years experience
Sneeze: You are more likely to get viral exposure if some sneezes on you.
6056 views
A member asked:
What could cause you get staph infection?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Keegan Duchicela answered
Family Medicine 14 years experience
Some thoughts...: Some people have staph bacteria colonizing their skin or nose and have no obvious symptoms. During times of illness, stress, skin breakdown (cuts, scrapes) or immunosuppression, the bacteria can cause infection. You can also get it from coming into contact with it in the environment or with a person who has an active staph lesion.
5474 views
A member asked:
Can you get a staph infection from kissing?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Michael Fisher answered
Dermatology 32 years experience
Staph from Kissing: Staphulococcus aureus is a germ, often called staph, and is normally found on the body in 20-30% of the healthy people. It is passed from person to person by contact with someone who is colonized with it. It is spread through nose but you can also catch it through kissing.
5370 views
A 46-year-old member asked:
Is it possible to get a staph infection internally?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. David Liu answered
Internal Medicine and Pediatrics 19 years experience
Yes: Such an infection would be called either bacteremia (bacteria in the blood) or sepsis (bacteria + other signs and symptoms). Either would be very serious, and generally requires hospitalization. If you are concerned about either of these, please see your provider.
5340 views
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Jun 18, 2019
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