What Is Respiratory Mrsa?

MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, so named because it is a strain of the staph bacteria resistant to antibiotics. MRSA usually infects the skin, but can also cause respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

MRSA's role in respiratory illness

• The Mayo Clinic notes that MRSA generally creates skin afflictions such as abscesses and boils, but the bacteria can also penetrate the body, resulting in internal infections.

MRSA symptoms

• "The symptoms of MRSA depend on where you're infected," states WebMD. Should the MRSA enter the body such as through a cut or abrasion, respiratory illnesses can occur. If a respiratory illness is accompanied by red, swollen, or painful skin, its origin is likely MRSA.

Spread of MRSA

• MRSA is generally passed in two contexts: healthcare facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, and dialysis centers, known as healthcare-associated (HA) MRSA, or in public areas such as gyms, lockers rooms, and prisons, known as community-associated (CA) MRSA.

Beware of skin or surface contact

• The Centers for Disease Control note that the bacteria travels via skin-to-skin contact, although you can also become infected by touching a contaminated surface as in community-associated MRSA. Cases of CA MRSA typically manifest only on the skin in otherwise healthy people.

Children most at risk

• Because their immune systems are not fully developed, children and young adults are more prone to pneumonia than are older adults. Thus, the greatest risk to children is developing an MRSA-based respiratory illness while in a healthcare facility for an unrelated condition.