health

A doctor may diagnose and treat a staph infection based on its appearance,
but a definite diagnosis is made by identifying the organism under a
microscope or by culture* with the use of a laboratory. Samples are taken
from the site of the infection, which may be the skin, the blood, or an
abscess. Imaging scans such as x-rays can help with diagnoses in identifying
locations of the infection. Staph food poisoning generally is diagnosed
based on symptoms, dietary history, and sometimes illness in other
people who have eaten the same food or eaten at the same place. Minor
superficial infections are usually diagnosed without the need of blood
samples and cultures. However, serious infections rely on the laboratory,
especially when the infection lies within the bloodstream, heart, or lungs.
In such cases, samples and cultures of blood and affected fluids are taken
and analyzed by skilled laboratory personnel to verify the proper course
of medical treatment