The GI tract is also known as the gut. Trillions of bacteria and tiny organisms, called flora, live there. In fact, the flora make up about 60% of our feces. Three main types of flora live in the gut:
In brief: Depends on severity. A tiny pimple or pustule on the skin, caused by regular staph, should heal up in 3-5 days after the pus comes out. A deeper abscess may take 1 week of treatment to clear up, and another week for the remaining wound to heal. People who have internal abscesses in their bodies, or have suppressed immune systems, can take several weeks of treatment with IV antibiotics (even longer in bone infections).
The duration of your bacterial ear infection will depend on where the infection has occurred and how severe it is. If your infection is in either the middle or outer ear but is fairly mild, it should clear up without treatment or with antibiotics within a week or two. If your infection is in the ear canal (called swimmer's ear), you should wait at least 10 days before exposing your ears to water again. If your infection is serious or chronic or if the fluid build-up doesn't go away with the infection, you may experience symptoms for considerably longer.