Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It’s tougher to treat than most staph infections because it is resistant to most commonly used antibiotics. There is no real cure for MRSA yet because the infection grows stronger and becomes more immune to newer antibiotics. Symptoms of MRSA depend on where the infection occurs. It often causes infections on the skin, like sores or boils. It can also cause a more serious infection or infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract. It is likely to occur in catheters and feeding tubes. Most infections are treated with little to no side effects, but some are life threatening. Because of how hard it is to treat, most doctors call it the “super bug”.
The causes often start through a cut or even from the staph bacteria of the nose. These infections can cause minor effects or if untreated, can cause pneumonia. People can be carriers even if they don’t have the disease themselves. That is when colonization occurs.
MRSA is spread by contact. You could get it by touching someone who has it on their skin. You can also get it from objects with bacteria on them. About 2% of the population carries MRSA. That does not mean that they are infected. They are common in people whose immune systems are very weak. The most common places to catch this disease are hospitals and nursing homes. Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) can happen to almost anyone in enclosed spaces with a lot of people. That means it is more likely to happen to people involved with athletic teams, military recruits, prison inmates, and children in daycare. It is more likely to occur in younger people, around the age of twenty-three.
Health care providers should help prevent the spread of MRSA. They can do this by following CDC-guided precautions by wearing disposable gowns, gloves, masks, etc. The smartest thing to do is to isolate that patient to a certain room and hang a sign on the door with special instructions. The best way to prevent it is to be careful. Use hand sanitizer, wash your hands, and clean with disinfectant wipes to help remain healthy.