MRSA Infection Information

Staphylococcus is a very common bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it may be carried by up to 30 percent of the population. Most of the time it does not cause illness; but can cause a skin infection, or a more serious infection of the blood stream. Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph infection which is resistant to certain broad spectrum antibiotics including penicillin. However, there are treatments available.

Facts

• There are two main types of MRSA infections, community acquired and hospital acquired. If a person develops a MRSA infection and has not been recently hospitalized, it's classified as community-acquired MRSA. People who are hospitalized and contract a MRSA infection are considered to have the hospital-acquired strain.
  According to the Minnesota Department of Health, there appear to be differences between the strains. Community-acquired MRSA infections are usually soft-tissue or skin infections, while hospital-acquired MRSA can develop into a more serious infection in the lungs and blood stream.

Risk Factors

• According to the Mayo Clinic, health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes are at risk for hospital-acquired MRSA infections. Patients who have invasive devices, such as a tracheostomy tube or catheter, are at a higher risk of developing a hospital-acquired MRSA infection.
  Community-acquired MRSA infections can spread among people who live in close quarters, such as inmates in prisons or military personnel in training camps. The infection is also spread through athletes who engage in contact sports. Athletes may contract the infection from skin contact with an another player.

Symptoms

• MRSA skin infections may look similar to a boil or spider bite. The skin around the bump is red and swollen and may hurt. Pus may drain from the site. MRSA infections can also spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and into the blood stream. As the infection becomes more serious symptoms may include, fever, fatigue, chills and shortness of breath.

Treatments

• Skin infections may be treated by draining the infection. Although certain antibiotics are ineffective against MRSA, there are still medications available. According to the Mayo Clinic, the antibiotic vancomycin may be used to treat both hospital and community-acquired infections. Mild infections are often treated with oral antibiotics. More serious infections, which travel into the bloodstream, often require intravenous antibiotics.

Prevention

• Hospital workers should take precautions to avoid spreading the disease between patients. The standard precautions include wearing gloves and a hospital gown when working with infected patients. Thoroughly washing hands between patients is also essential. According to the CDC, community-acquired MRSA can be prevented by not sharing personal items such as towels. Cover cuts while they heal. Practice good hygiene and wash hands frequently.