MRSA: Resistance To Antibiotics

MRSA has been in the news quite a bit in the past year. A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that there were more deaths from MRSA in 2006 than from AIDS.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA are staph infections that have become resistant to treatment by the antibiotics normally used for these infections such as methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. This resistance to normal treatment methods makes MRSA a serious health issue.

What Are Staph Infections?

Staph infections are caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. If you puncture or injure your skin, the staph bacteria can enter the wound and cause an infection. Usually, these are minor infections treated by keeping the wound clean and covered. Rarely, the infection becomes more serious and spreads to deep tissues of the body or enters your blood.

Who Is At Risk?

Most staph infections, including MRSA infections, usually occur in individuals with weakened immune systems who are hospitalized or in other types of healthcare facilities such as nursing homes. MRSA infections that occur in healthy individuals who have not been hospitalized nor had a medical procedure within the last year are called Community Associated MRSA infections.

In October 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement about MRSA in schools. Other areas and situations that make it easier for the transmission of MRSA were also identified and include crowds, dormitories, military barracks, gyms, households and day care centers. MRSA in these situations is usually transmitted by direct skin contact or contact with shared items, such as towels, or surfaces that have come into contact with the infection.

What Are The Symptoms?

Staph infections often begin as a pimple, abscess or boil that is red, swollen and painful. The area around the initial site can also be tender and warm to the touch. The pimple or boil can have pus and drain fluid. These signs of infection can be near an open wound or sore. Sometimes there is no wound or break in the skin near these symptoms. If the infection spreads, you may develop a fever. If red lines develop, the infection is spreading and you need to seek immediate medical attention.

Generally, antibiotics can be used to treat staph infections. However, as indicated above, MRSA infections are resistant to many of the antibiotics traditionally used to treat staph infections.

There are several more potent antibiotics physicians can now use to treat MRSA infections. But if the infection goes too deep, involving muscles and other tissue, the area of infection may have to be surgically cleaned.

If you think you have a staph infection, you need to consult your physician as soon as possible for medical treatment.

Safety Tips

The staph bacteria is transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact, by sharing an item such as a towel, or by touching a bandage that has had contact with another person’s infection. The infection is contagious if it is oozing fluid or draining.

To prevent the transmission of staph bacteria, it is important to follow these steps:

1. Practice good hygiene by washing your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

2. Clean scrapes and cuts to your skin and keep them covered with clean dry bandages until they are healed. Use an antibiotic ointment to help with healing. If you have a staph or MRSA infection, it is important that you cover the wound with clean, dry bandages to prevent transferring the infection.

3. Do not touch the cuts or bandages of others.

4. Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, clothing, bed linens or razors, which come in contact with bare skin.

5. Develop a cleaning protocol by establishing cleaning procedures for frequently touched surfaces and surfaces that come into contact with bare skin.

Written by Paula Spurway, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Originally published in March 2008. Resources: www.cdc.org, Invasive MRSA Fact Sheet; www.webmd.com, Health News October 24, 2007.