Fever, especially with a severe head or neck ache or chest pain Trouble breathing or pain in the chest A cough that lasts longer than a week Rash or swelling that won’t go down Increasing pain in the urinary tract (which may be pain with urination, in the lower back, or in the lower abdomen) Pain, swelling, warmth, pus drainage or red streaks extending from a wound.

Remember that bacterial infections can only be diagnosed by a doctor. If you think that you have an infection, note the symptoms and go to the doctor for treatment as soon as possible.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics fight a wide variety of bacteria. Broad-spectrum antibiotics treat gram positive and negative bacteria, so your doctor may prescribe one of these types of antibiotics if he or she is unsure about what bacteria you have. Amoxicillin, Augmentin,Cephalosporins(4th and 5th Generation),Tetracycline Aminoglycosides and Fluoroquinolones (Ciprofloxacin) are examples of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Medium-spectrum antibiotics target a group of bacteria. Penicillin and bacitracin are popular medium-spectrum antibiotics. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics are made to treat one specific kind of bacteria. Polymyxins fall into this small category of antibiotics. Treatment is much easier and more effective when your doctor knows what kind of bacterial infection you have.

Make sure that you know exactly how much of the antibiotic you are supposed to take, and when you are supposed to take it. Some antibiotics need to be taken with food, some need to be taken at night, etc. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don’t understand the dosage instructions.

Even if you feel better, you need to take all of the antibiotics to kill the disease causing bacteria that is left in your body. If you stop treatment too soon, you may never fully get rid of the infection.

Avoid latex gloves if you have a latex allergy.

If you notice any debris in the wound, you can try to remove it with tweezers that have been sterilized with alcohol. If you do not feel comfortable doing that, you can go to a doctor for treatment.

Change the gauze once a day if it is dirty. A good time to change the gauze is when you take a shower.

Use a different cutting board for each type of food. Use different cutting boards for fruits and veggies and raw meats to avoid cross-contamination.

Wash your hands using soap and warm (or hot) water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to clean between your fingers and under your fingernails. Then rinse your hands well with clean water. [17] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source

Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing into your hands before touching another person or common surfaces such as door knobs or light switches. You can also cover your mouth or nose with the crook of your arm (the inside of your elbow). This can help limit the spread of germs without causing you to need to wash your hands every 2 minutes while you are sick.

Staph aureus is the most common type of staph infection. Staph aureus may cause pneumonia, food poisoning, skin infections, blood poisoning, or toxic shock syndrome. MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a staph infection that is hard to treat. MRSA does not respond to some antibiotics and it is thought that the strain developed in response to antibiotics. Therefore, many doctors will not prescribe antibiotics unless it is absolutely necessary. [23] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source

Haemophilus influenzae is not covered by the common “flu shot,” which targets viral influenza, but most children are vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae early in childhood (it is called the “Hib” vaccine). [28] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source