Astoriadave said:
Not an expert on infections at all. I Googled up "recurrent staph infections" and found many apparently authoritative sources. This one seemed most pertinent:
http://tinyurl.com/acqnkh (go down a screen for the regime).
Need to dispel one misconception, however: disinfecting with an antibacterial soap does not selectively kill one type of staph -- kills all varieties, dead! OTOH, treating a staph infection with antibiotics without the benefit of a culture showing the type of staph might lead to development of a resistant form if the incorrect antibiotic is used (or if the treatment regime is not followed to its end). With the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant strains, it might be good to get a culture on a recurrent strain ... and this advice is from a guy who is
NOT a physician and has
NO special expertise in this area. Just repeating stuff learned from the Google sources I found, such as the one above.
If I were in rider's situation, I'd get a culture, and go through some of the steps advised in the link above, "treating" the footwear and sox used this last trip, as a minimum. Doug Lloyd can show you some interesting scars from his episode with a flesh-eating bacterium, for motivation, if a person wants to see it!
For touring, I take along a fucidic acid cream like Fucidin H cream. I have other stuff too, including high-potency melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil) and oral Clindamycin, helpful for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.
I'd rather paddle north of the 61st parallel than anything equatorial. Freya was fortunate not to contract anything contagious or even deal with much tinea pedis, though she did get some good skin rashes.
I've switched to Mukluks from the shorter, cheapie wet suit booties I used to wear. With a good thick liner sock (with rotating supply on a trip) and the lining in the higher quality booties, I've done well. Good foot hygiene is not an option for me expeditioning from a kayak.
I do have a propensity toward athlete’s foot, with the severity being between toes in the web space. These cracks can lead to other problems.
In my profession as a medical adjudicator, I deal with a lot of out of country travel claims; I can assure you that there's a fair bit of stuff out there that can get you rather unexpectedly.
As for serious infections for paddlers, I can also assure you through direct experience and the experience of friends that staph, cellulitis, and other infectious diseases are not something you want to tangle with - worse than your worst nightmare - at worst, and possibly a huge inconvenience and major worry at best. Consequences can be lifelong.
Good, wilderness first aid training is important for paddlers on multi-day excursions, and any sign of impending serious infection, red streaking, fever, etc., may be cause for immediate evacuation if definitive medical treatment isn’t available. And even when it is, clinicians mis-diagnose, so educate yourselves proactively.
I was glad to see waverider head for the clinic at the 2010 WCP campout and even return with a watertight protection arrangement for his infected finger.
I almost lost my life a few years ago, if not just my leg. Good overall health at the time probably helped. I was heavy into weight training, stationary rowing, and ad hoc storm paddling year round. Many who contract infections aren't so lucky. Co-morbidities can mitigate againt good outcomes. I fear the things I can't see. The sea, I just try and respect.
Here's a shot of my leg shortly after debridement for necrotizing fasciitis:
Here's the leg sometime after grafting after ICU discharge and extended antibiotic therapy through a PICC line into the heart. It took almost 2 months in the hospital to clear the acute phases, with a month in the burn unit (though my nurse was the sister of Alexandra Morton so that was fun for someone who thrives living on the edge).
So, take care boys and girls.
Doug L
, But keep them coming, I can use the schooling :shock: 
