staphyl-, staphylo- +

Staphyloma in the region of the ciliary body: Following a bad injury while lighting some fireworks on New Year's Eve, Joe's father contracted ciliary staphyloma in his left eye.

An infection which is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria; often called "staph".

A strain of staph emerged in hospitals in the past that was resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. Termed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), it was one of the first germs to resist all but the most powerful drugs. MRSA infection can be fatal.

Staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of the population. If you have staph on your skin or in your nose, but aren't sick, you are said to be "colonized" but not infected with MRSA. Healthy people can be colonized with MRSA and have no ill effects, however they can pass the germ on to others.

Staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or other wound, and even then they simply cause only minor skin problems in healthy people. In older adults and people who are ill or have weakened immune systems, ordinary staph infections can cause a serious illness.

In the 1990s, a type of MRSA began showing up in the wider community. Today that form of staph, known as "community-associated MRSA", or "CA-MRSA", is responsible for many serious skin and soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia.

Causes of MRSA

Although the survival tactics of bacteria contribute to antibiotic resistance, humans bear most of the responsibility for the problem. Leading causes of antibiotic resistance include:

1. Unnecessary antibiotic use in humans.

Like other superbugs, MRSA is the result of decades of excessive and unnecessary antibiotic use. For years, antibiotics have been prescribed for colds, flu and other viral infections that don't respond to these drugs, as well as for simple bacterial infections that normally clear up on their own.

2. Antibiotics in food and water.

Prescription drugs aren't the only source of antibiotics. In the United States, antibiotics can be found in beef cattle, pigs and chickens. The same antibiotics then find their way into municipal water systems when the runoff from feedlots contaminates streams and groundwater.

Routine feeding of antibiotics to animals is banned in the European Union and many other industrialized countries. Antibiotics given in the proper doses to animals that are sick don't appear to produce resistant bacteria.

3. Germ mutation.

Even when antibiotics are used appropriately, they contribute to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria because they don't destroy every germ they target.

Bacteria live on an evolutionary process, so germs that survive treatment with one antibiotic soon learn to resist others, and because bacteria mutate much more quickly than new drugs can be produced, some germs end up resistant to just about everything. That's why only a handful of drugs are now effective against most forms of staph.

Snake grape: An ophiostaphyle is a type of caper, a pickled flower bud of a southern European bush and is used, often with olives, to flavor food.

About or around the uvula: Jane's doctor, Dr. Hathaway, said that the peristaphyline area at the back of her throat was a bit red and all she needed to do was to gargle the liquid substance he gave her.

1. Inflammation around the uvula: Dr. Thompson described Tim's sore throat as being a case of peristaphylitis.

The uvula is a small piece of soft tissue that can be seen dangling down from the soft palate over the back of the tongue. The uvula is described variously as being shaped like a U, a tear, or a grape.
2. Etymology: from the Latin word for "grape," uva.

Amputation or incision of the uvula (small piece of soft tissue that can be seen dangling down from the soft palate over the back of the tongue); uvulectomy: The surgical removal of Steven's uvula, or staphylectomy, was an operation that was recommended to Steven in order to cure his persisting ailment.

Edema of the uvula: Nigel's doctor told him that the swelling of the uvula, and therefore causing him pain and discomfort, was termed to be staphyledema, and would have to undergo treatment.

1. Resembling a bunch of grapes; botryoid: Staphyline plants, or even some minerals, have numerous rounded protuberances resembling a cluster of grapes.
2. Relating to the uvula: In her biology book, Ruth learned that staphyline areas in the body concerned the the soft palate or uvula in the mouth.

Inflammation of the uvula or palate; uvulitis: Dr. Jones explained to Jill that the irritation and soreness in her throat was caused by a condition of staphylitis involving the small piece of soft tissue dangling down from the soft palate over the back of her tongue.

A sore throat due to staphylococcus: Valerie's throat hurt her a lot, so when Dr. Simmons examined her, he said that it was caused by bacteria which tended to occur in grapelike clusters and said that her illness was termed staphyloangina. Valerie had to take some medicine to cure it.

The destruction of microorganisms that cause staph infections: Tom learned in his seminar in medicine that staphylocide was the only way to get rid of, or kill, those parasitic bacteria which tend to form irregular colonies and cause boils, septicaemia, or other infections.

Referring to, or caused by, staphylococcus: Bruce scratched his arm so much that it got infected and his dermatologist said that it was a staphylococcal infection that had to be treated quickly with an antibiotic.

Poisoning by food containing any one of several heat-stable enterotoxins produced by certain strains of staphylococci: When ingested, staphylococcal food poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal cramps, and, in severe cases, prostration and shock.

Hygienic preparation techniques can prevent this form of food poisoning. People preparing food should cook all food thoroughly, refrigerate food during storage, and wash the hands before and after handling various food products.

Certain kinds of food, such as meat, poultry, fish, and those containing mayonnaise, eggs, or cream should be refrigerated and used as soon as possible.

The existence of staphylococci in the blood; staphylohemia: Staphylococcemia is caused by a parasitic bacteria which brings about blisters, septicaemia, and other infections in a person's body.

A genus of Gram-positive spherical nonmotile bacteria: When viewing the bacteria in the genus Staphylococcus, they appeared to be spherical and grouped together in grape like clusters.