Is boil (furunculosis) contagious to others: how is it transmitted and methods of prevention - Medicine

Furunculosis is contagious to others

Boils are a common problem. That is why many people are concerned about the question: can you get infected with boils? It is impossible to become infected in cases where there are no certain prerequisites for this, from which every person is not insured. The factors that contribute to the appearance of furunculosis need to be understood in more detail.

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The causative agent of furunculosis

Furunculosis is an inflammatory process in the hair follicles, during which a rod with pus is formed. The causative agent of the disease is Staphylococcus aureus. However, sometimes Staphylococcus epidermidis can also contribute to the appearance of the disease.

Both types of bacteria are widely distributed in the external environment. Excessive amounts of them are found in dust on the street, in rooms with poor ventilation, in clothing and even in residential apartments. Staphylococci often exist on people’s skin and mucous membranes, without causing the development of diseases.

According to research, about 70% of people are carriers of these microorganisms.

How is it transmitted person to person?

Is there a chance of catching furunculosis from an infected person? Transmission of the microorganism is not excluded, but the development of furunculosis requires a number of internal and external factors. The disease, like other infectious diseases, involves interaction between the pathogen and the macroorganism.

For infection with furunculosis, it is not so much the microorganism itself that is important, but the factors that contribute to its progression. Based on this, we can conclude that furunculosis is transmitted from person to person only in the form of microorganisms, which in most cases are not infectious and do not provoke the development of boils.

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External reasons

External factors that provoke the onset of furunculosis:

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minor injuries caused by particles of fine graphite or metal dust, for example, emitted in industrial conditions;
the process of rubbing items of clothing on certain places of the human body, for example, on the buttocks, due to which staphylococci from a form that is not dangerous to humans turns into a dangerous one and is rubbed into the deep layers of the skin;
scratching the skin when other skin diseases (scabies or eczema) are present.

Internal factors

Internal reasons due to which furunculosis manifests itself:

decreased immunity;
vitamin deficiency;
diabetes;
excess body weight;
anemia;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
diseases of the central nervous system;
alcohol abuse;
frequent overheating and then hypothermia.

Internal causes contribute to the deterioration of immunity, and external causes cause damage to the skin. It is into these lesions that staphylococcus penetrates.

Finding itself in a favorable habitat, it begins vigorous life activity and reproduction, which ultimately becomes the cause of inflammatory processes. Furunculosis is not contagious.

Infestation by neem is impossible even through sexual contact when another person has boils on the genitals (one of the most common places where boils appear), if the person does not have prerequisites for this in the form of the above factors.

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Therapy for boils

After the patient undergoes the required studies, the specialist prescribes complex therapy, which includes special nutrition, systematic antimicrobial treatment and immunotherapy.

In some cases, the patient will need to see a surgeon who will open the boil through surgery.

Prevention of infection with furunculosis

To avoid becoming infected with staphylococcus, doctors recommend following personal hygiene rules and proper nutrition. A person should include as much protein food (mainly of animal origin) in their diet as possible. You need to enrich your menu with fiber by consuming enough fresh fruits and vegetables.

You will need to limit your intake of fats and sweet foods. It is also recommended to exclude allergenic foods from the diet, for example, chocolate, eggs, citrus fruits and seafood. It is not recommended to consume salty and spicy foods.

It would be useful to systematically take special vitamin and mineral complexes that will improve immunity and prevent the development of boils.

In addition, a healthy lifestyle and frequent walks in the fresh air will protect against infection. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that if a small boil appears, it should under no circumstances be squeezed out.

In such a situation, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible. Only he will be able to diagnose and prescribe the required treatment. Another important rule is disinfection of the skin after cosmetic procedures, for example, hair removal.

It is important to resort to them not only at home, but also in beauty salons.

Therapy for boils

When a person becomes infected with furunculosis, it is important not to engage in treatment and consult a dermatologist as soon as possible. To begin with, the patient will have to undergo a series of specific tests that show his general health. After the patient undergoes the required studies, the specialist prescribes complex therapy, which includes special nutrition, systematic antimicrobial treatment and immunotherapy. In some cases, the patient will need to see a surgeon who will open the boil through surgery.

Is furunculosis contagious to others?

A furuncle (boil) is a neoplasm that occurs as a result of suppuration of the sebaceous glands, fatty tissue or hair follicle. Such growths appear against the background of skin infection by pathogenic microorganisms. Because of this, boils can be dangerous to others.

Pathogen

Boils occur due to infection of the subcutaneous tissue or hair follicles by Staphylococcus aureus. Less commonly, inflammatory processes in the skin are triggered by the epidermal type of this bacterium. Both microorganisms are constantly present on the human body and in the environment.

Infection of the skin glands or tissue occurs when there are open wounds on the surface of the body.

In addition, a weakened immune system caused by:

diabetes mellitus;
endocrine pathologies;
anemia;
diseases of the digestive system;
pathology of the central nervous system;
poor diet and alcohol abuse, smoking.

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The impact of these factors inhibits general immunity. Due to the weakening of protective mechanisms, the colony of Staphylococcus aureus begins to actively expand.

The impact of pathogenic microorganisms on skin tissue provokes the development of inflammatory and purulent processes.

How is furunculosis transmitted?

In fact, furunculosis is not transmitted. Boils occur due to infection of the body with Staphylococcus aureus. The most common method of infection with this bacterium is transmission of the pathogenic microorganism through mother's milk to the child.

In this case, infection occurs if the child’s body is weakened. Strong immunity suppresses the activity of staphylococcus.

The risk of infection remains through sexual intercourse. Staphylococcus often affects skin areas located in the groin area. However, you need to understand that this type of infection does not apply to sexually transmitted pathologies.

Therefore, skin infection occurs in the presence of predisposing factors: open wounds and weakened immunity.

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Staphylococcus aureus spreads through the air, and therefore people often become infected while in public places:

In addition, the cause of boils in rare cases is non-compliance with the rules for placing a catheter, dressing open wounds or using medical instruments.

Is it contagious?

Staphylococcus aureus is a contagious infection that is transmitted by air, through household objects or food. Some bacteria of this type remain viable outside the body for several weeks.

Infection with staphylococcal infection is possible if a person has a weakened immune system. The likelihood of boils appearing on the body in people with a strong body is extremely low.

To avoid infection with Staphylococcus aureus, it is recommended:

regularly wash your hands and observe other hygiene rules;
Healthy food;
lead an active lifestyle, giving up smoking and alcoholic beverages;
timely cure diseases of internal organs;
do not exceed the dosage of medications;
avoid severe stress.

Prevention of infection

A boil is an unpleasant, painful formation on the skin. With proper and timely treatment, the pathology goes away in a couple of weeks. Often the boil is complicated by abscesses, phlegmon, and sepsis. Simple measures will help you avoid infection and complications of the disease:

Hand hygiene after processing chiria is the main measure to prevent the disease. Along with hygiene procedures, you need to disinfect your hands with antiseptic agents.
To prevent the spread of infection, it is necessary to apply a gauze bandage to the inflamed area.
You cannot use the patient’s bath items and hygiene products.
It is advisable to do daily cleaning.
During the period of illness, it is necessary to maintain a balanced diet. Include animal proteins, fiber, fruits, and vegetables in the patient’s diet. You can’t eat sweets, chocolate, citrus fruits, fish, eggs.
People with reduced immunity need to drink a complex of vitamins and minerals every six months.
A healthy lifestyle, absence of bad habits, walks in the fresh air, gymnastics are the main prevention of inflammatory and chronic diseases.
You cannot self-medicate. Timely diagnosis and treatment of a boil will help avoid unpleasant consequences.
If you have diabetes or obesity, do not start the pathological process, visit your doctor annually.

There are many ways to prevent the occurrence of a boil. Avoid stress, maintain your immunity and illnesses will not bother you!

Furunculosis: contagious or not for another person

The appearance of boils on the surface of the skin is a common disease. It is for this reason that many people who spend significant time in public places are concerned about the question of whether furunculosis is contagious.

Danger of infection

Some types of staphylococcus are able to maintain their vital activity in the external environment for several weeks. The infection is transmitted from a sick person to the skin of a healthy person and causes not only the appearance of boils, but also provokes other diseases.

In addition, the danger of the disease lies in the fact that it becomes potential for others and can spread to the body of an already sick person. The pus that flows from the boil can end up on a healthy area of skin, and this is enough for further infection. The emergence of new boils complicates treatment and progresses to the stage of development of furunculosis.

In addition, if the infection enters the bloodstream, blood poisoning and the appearance of a carbuncle may develop.

Therapy for boils

The first thing you need to do is go to the hospital to see a dermatologist and find the exact cause of furunculosis. It is not recommended to treat boils on your own, since without eliminating the cause, the disease will not disappear and will soon relapse. It is also impossible to open boils at home, since pus and necrotic tissue will remain in the wound and cause complications.

The doctor will order tests to fully assess your health status. He will then select treatment, which usually consists of the following procedures:

taking antibiotics;
eliminating the cause of inflammation;
diet;
immunotherapy.

Antibiotics for furunculosis are used to destroy bacteria (staphylococcus); drugs with a wide spectrum of effectiveness are most often prescribed, namely Amoxicillin, Methicillin, Oxacillin.

If the boil cannot open on its own or there are multiple boils, then you should go to a surgeon who will properly open and thoroughly clean the abscess.

Furunculosis: what is it and is it contagious, how is it transmitted to humans?

The occurrence of purulent inflammation of the hair follicle, affecting adjacent tissues, is called furunculosis. Frequent trauma to the skin can provoke the proliferation of pyogenic bacteria of the staphylococcal group and cause recurrent furunculosis, localized in different parts of the body.

This disease can seriously affect various functional systems of the body, so it is important to start treatment in a timely manner. In order for the therapy to have a positive outcome, it is necessary to seek help from a specialist. The doctor can explain what furunculosis is and what are the characteristics of this disease.

Origin of the disease and its manifestations

The main pathogenic factor in the formation of such a disease is bacterial infection of the skin with staphylococcal infection. Pathogenic pathogens under the influence of exogenous and endogenous factors contribute to the manifestation of furunculosis.

The disease itself has a fairly long process of development, progression and extinction. Frequent boils affecting the neck, face, back, hips usually indicate progression of the disease.

The clinical picture of the disease is as follows:

At the initial stage, a small node forms and matures in the cup of the hair follicle.
After a few days, a sensitive cone-shaped boil with a necrotic formation in the center forms on the skin.
Along with the follicle, the sebaceous gland and adjacent areas of the epidermis are damaged.
A mature formation causes severe tissue swelling and an increase in throbbing pain.

When the focus of inflammation is opened, abundant discharge of purulent masses is observed. In the cleared cavity, an ulcer with a necrotic core of a greenish tint forms.

The presence of such a basis indicates that the presumed diagnosis is confirmed by furunculosis, the inflammatory course of which decreases only in the case of rejection of necrotic tissue.

After the rod leaves the bed with the remains of pus and blood discharge, the pain subsides along with swelling of the skin. In addition, this disease has the following characteristic features:

if the components of furunculosis are single in nature, then the patient’s condition can be diagnosed within normal limits;
if the nasolabial triangle, nasal area and external tissues of the auditory organ are affected, symptoms of general intoxication, increased body temperature and severe headaches are observed;
in case of injury to the affected components of furunculosis or independent non-sterile removal of the lesion, there may be a risk of thrombophlebitis of the facial veins and deep damage to internal tissues;
When boils form on the face, inflammation may progress and transform into meningitis.

The most dangerous consequence of the disease can be considered sepsis, characterized by numerous abscesses in the internal organs and leading to death.

Reasons for the development of pathology

The main source of progression of inflammation in this disease is the attacking effect of the bacterial group on living cells. Most often, studies identify Staphylococcus aureus as such an aggressor. Furunculosis has symptoms that eloquently indicate the infectious nature of the disease:

Many people are carriers of this type of bacteria, because it can remain on the mucous tissues of the nasopharynx and also settle on the skin.
Staphylococcus in its latent form is not dangerous to the body, but under favorable development conditions the bacterium takes on a threatening and infectious form.
Furunculosis can be transmitted from a carrier to another person in the usual household way (within the family, among athletes, in the workplace).

Most often, primary infectious diseases are named among the main factors in the progression of staphylococcus, among which are:

intestinal flora disorders;
disruption of the normal functioning of the skin;
dysfunction of the endocrine and genitourinary systems;
various lesions of the nasopharynx.

Furunculosis differs from other skin diseases in that it can recur on the integument for a very long time, appearing on different parts of the body many times. Therefore, furunculosis is usually divided into main types:

localized (abundant damaging elements are concentrated on one specific area of the body);
acute (the stage of progression of many boils in one period of time);
chronic (a long process of development, during which some foci of inflammation subside, while others appear and progress);
disseminated (inflammation populates the surface of the entire body).

Localized furunculosis can be eliminated with an active course of therapeutic antibacterial procedures. As for the chronic stage of the disease, it will take a lot of effort to bring furunculosis to a state of regression. During the period of temporary retreat of the infection, it is best to carry out additional diagnostic methods for internal processes and use immunomodulatory drugs.

Diagnostic methods

In order to diagnose furunculosis, it is necessary to carefully study its symptoms. Often, inflammation of this type can be externally similar to diseases that have a different bacterial nature:

if the resulting inflammation has a spherical surface without a purulent head and is localized in the groin area, in the armpit or in the chest area, these are most likely signs of hidradenitis suppurativa;
in cases of inflamed areas appearing on the gums or tongue, it would be best to consult a dentist;
an abscess localized on the mucous membrane of the throat can be a harbinger of purulent tonsillitis, pharyngeal candidiasis, diphtheria and other ENT diseases.

In cases of self-examination, the patient should see a purulent-necrotic core in the center of the resulting inflammation, which is the main sign of furunculosis.

If inflammation appears on the neck, skin under the hair, temples, the area behind the auricle, in the external auditory canal, on the forehead, in the eyelid area, on the temples, cheeks, wings of the nose, lips, and is accompanied by severe pain, you should immediately seek advice to the surgeon. An experienced specialist should use the following diagnostic methods:

Initial examination and identification of the depth of the inflammation.
Palpation of regional lymph nodes.
Laboratory tests of blood, urine, feces (clinical, general, biochemical).
Culture of inflammatory secretions for flora and sensitivity to antibiotics.
Ultrasound examination of the genital organs, abdominal cavity and thyroid gland.
X-ray of the sinuses and chest organs.

In addition to the above procedures, research methods such as gastroscopy and electrocardiogram are possible, as well as consultations with a dermatologist, urologist, endocrinologist and otolaryngologist.

You should know that a disease such as furunculosis does not tolerate independent premature opening of the rod, as well as frequent use of water procedures.

Otherwise, there is a huge risk of infection of healthy skin areas. In addition, the bacterial pathogen remains inside the ulcer and poses a risk of the disease degenerating into a chronic form and causing complications.

The concept of recurrent furunculosis

Recurrent furunculosis is classified as an inflammatory disease in which there is a long process of progression of purulent inflammation and the formation of new lesions after the elimination of previous ones. The disease has a complex pathogenesis and is difficult to respond to antibiotic therapy.

Symptoms of a recurrent process

The symptoms of the disease are pronounced and have several stages of relapse of the pathology:

a mild process is accompanied by the appearance of single boils in the patient, with a relapse of the disease occurring once within six months;
the middle stage of the disease is characterized by multiple purulent skin lesions with increased inflammation of soft tissues, relapses are doubled;
severe degree is accompanied by multiple persistent purulent formations, enlarged regional lymph nodes, general weakness and increased body temperature.

In addition, repeated formation of a boil can affect any part of the body: from the face and neck to the genitals and legs.

If treatment is not carried out on time, the recurrent form of the disease transforms into chronic furunculosis, which entails serious complications:

infectious lesion of nearby soft tissues, resulting in an abscess or phlegmon;
damage to the lymphatic and circulatory systems of the cervical spine and the development of purulent meningitis;
inflammation of the walls of blood vessels - thrombophlebitis;
blood poisoning, or sepsis, most often leading to death.

The main signs of the development of complications can be considered a sharp deterioration in well-being, increased pain in the area of inflammation, general swelling of soft tissues and hyperthermia. In such cases, emergency assistance should be called.

Chronic furunculosis of a recurrent nature most often becomes a consequence of dysfunction of the immune system and destabilizes the level of normal values in the blood, therefore, when diagnosing the disease, careful laboratory tests should be carried out.

Prevention of relapse of the disease

Prevention of furunculosis is most often based on preventing relapses of the disease, so you should adhere to certain rules of life:

observe strict rules of personal hygiene;
refuse tight clothes and shoes;
promptly contact a specialist at the slightest sign of skin and venereal diseases;
avoid smoking and drinking alcohol;
balance your diet (exclude simple carbohydrates, broths, allergenic foods, fried and spicy foods);
take combined vitamin complexes;
carry out timely treatment and rehabilitation for severe chronic infectious diseases;
avoid hypothermia or overheating of the body;
limit excessive physical activity;
avoid stressful situations;
when using a work uniform, keep it clean and have individual attributes;
start treatment in a timely manner when a single boil appears;
control blood sugar levels in diabetes, since an increased concentration of sugar is a favorable environment for the development of purulent processes.

If a boil does appear and furunculosis begins to progress, you should remember that you should not touch the source of inflammation or try to open it yourself. The infection can instantly spread to nearby hair follicles.

The areas of the face and neck are especially at risk, as there is a risk of purulent masses moving through the blood vessels to the brain.

In conclusion, it should be noted once again that tissue furunculosis is a fairly serious disease that occurs at any age under the influence of provoking factors.

If a source of inflammation appears, you must seek medical help, because you cannot open the boil yourself.

In order to limit infection of healthy tissues, you should carefully monitor hygiene, use individual household items and maintain normal immune system parameters.

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Is furunculosis contagious or not?

Furunculosis is a skin disease that looks unpleasant and brings a lot of suffering to the patient. Therefore, many are interested in whether boils are transmitted from person to person.

The cause of purulent-inflammatory disease is pyogenic bacteria, most often Staphylococcus aureus. Since these microorganisms are transmitted from one person to another, it can be assumed that furunculosis also passes in a similar way.

So what is furunculosis, is it contagious or not, and how is it transmitted?

Origin of the disease

The cause of furunculosis is Staphylococcus aureus, but in some cases the disease can be provoked by bacteria of another type of Staphylococcus - epidermal. Both bacteria are present in the environment. 70% of people on the planet are their carriers.

Microorganisms can pass from an infected person to other people, but in a completely healthy person the disease does not develop, since this requires additional factors favorable to bacteria. Simply put, for infection with furunculosis, the pathogenic microorganism is not as important as the factors that contribute to its reproduction. Such factors can be external and internal.

Most often, the main cause of the disease is weakened immunity in humans. External causes can be: trauma to the epidermis, dermatological pathologies, and internal factors (internal causes) are:

decreased immunity;
chronic diseases;
vitamin deficiency;
autoimmune disorders (diabetes);
overweight;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
anemia;
pathologies of the nervous system.

Stages of development

Furunculosis is a pustular local inflammation with the formation of an extensive compaction - infiltrate. Boils form in hair follicles, sebaceous glands and adipose tissue, which is located under the skin of a person.

In the presence of favorable factors, pathogenic bacteria begin to actively multiply, feed and excrete waste, which provokes the development of a purulent process. The boil goes through certain stages of development until the capsule with pus breaks through, from which a purulent core then emerges:

At the initial stage, a small knot forms at the base of the hair follicle.
After a few days, a cone-shaped boil with a necrotic formation in the central part grows at the site of the node.
Along with the follicle, the sebaceous glands and adjacent layers of skin are affected. A mature formation causes severe tissue swelling and may be accompanied by pain.
Then the purulent focus is opened, purulent masses come out of it in copious amounts, and an ulcer with a greenish tint forms in the cleaned wound.
As a result, the rod comes out along with the remains of pus and blood, after which the painful sensations subside.

This process is quite lengthy and causes a lot of discomfort. In particularly severe forms of furunculosis, carbuncles are formed - accumulations of purulent foci. It is advisable to treat the disease with medications after consultation with a dermatologist, but you can also practice treatment with folk remedies.

Localization Features

The favorite place for boils is the groin area, and they also form most often on the lower back, back of the head and buttocks. Such purulent inflammation can appear on any part of the body where there are hairs (this is the main risk factor). Often boils appear on the face, neck, and armpits.

Is a boil contagious to others?

Since the boil serves as a source of bacterial infection and a source of harmful agents, it is certainly contagious. But it is impossible to catch this disease without the presence of additional favorable factors. More precisely, you can pick up the bacteria, especially through contact with pus and blood from a boil, but it will not develop enough in a healthy body to cause an infection.

Even if you come into close contact with another person’s abscess, infection will not occur. Transmission is impossible even through sexual contact with a partner who has boils on the intimate organs, unless there is a predisposition to this. Consequently, the answer to the question of whether furunculosis is contagious or not is this: the disease itself is not, but its causative agent is yes.

Is it transmitted from mother to child?

Knowing how the disease is transmitted, it would be logical to ask: is it contagious for a child upon contact with the mother if she has boils? As you know, children, especially infants, are very weak and have not yet fully formed immunity, which means they have predisposing factors to infection.

Fortunately, the disease is not transmitted to children through contact with the mother if the child is healthy and developing normally.

The key to the normal, proper development of infants is mother's milk. Therefore, you should not stop feeding your child if you have the problem described above.

Is it possible to get boils through sexual contact?

Bacteria can be transmitted sexually, and there is also a possibility of pus getting into wounds on the mucous membranes, which can cause inflammation. But furunculosis itself is not transmitted in this way, since its development requires more serious reasons, namely a combination of unfavorable factors.

If a person is healthy, then the transmission of boils from a sick person to a healthy one is impossible, even if they are located in the intimate area. But do not forget that there are other, more serious infections and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), so it is imperative to protect yourself during sexual intercourse.

Risk of infection in a medical and cosmetology clinic

Many people worry whether they can catch a boil in clinics, for example, from a cosmetologist or dermatologist.

The answer is categorical: no, since all instruments undergo thorough disinfection before use and after cosmetic or medical procedures, so nothing should be transmitted through them.

This treatment destroys not only staphylococcus, but also more dangerous bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

But if you use the services of a cosmetologist at home or in a little-known salon, where the instruments are not processed at all or are processed incorrectly, then you can catch not only staphylococcus.

Is it possible to become infected in a bathhouse or swimming pool from another person?

Staphylococci live in any public place, including baths, saunas, swimming pools, and toilets. And what happens, furunculosis is transmitted in these public institutions? No, it’s impossible to get infected with boils there, but it’s easy to get infected with staphylococci, but without the listed favorable factors they will not cause furunculosis.

Prevention of infection and relapse

To prevent infection with staphylococcus, you just need to maintain hygiene: wash your hands after contact with people who have signs of furunculosis and surfaces in public places, wash the rest of the body regularly, keep your clothes clean, and clean your living and working areas. To avoid getting sick, you need to:

lead an active healthy lifestyle;
reduce excess weight;
eat healthy food (the more vitamins, the better);
strengthen immunity;
give up flour and bad habits;
carry out timely treatment of chronic diseases;
control blood sugar levels.

You shouldn’t be afraid of everything around you in the hope of not catching staphylococcus, you just need to monitor your health and follow basic rules of personal hygiene. Then no diseases, including furunculosis, will bother you.