MRSA: A Serious Infection that Can Be Prevented

Methicillin Resistant Staphlococcus aureus, MRSA for short, is a fast growing threat to our children and our communities. In the past, this strain of Staph was pretty much confined to long term care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. Now, it is invading our school and child care centers.

This infection is deadly to children, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems. It is resistant to many common antibiotics. MRSA not only affects skin tissue, it also affects bones, blood, joints, and muscle. It can morph into a systemic infection which can cause pneumonia. There are ways to prevent the spread of this highly contagious infection.

The easiest way to prevent MRSA is to wash your hands. This does not mean a splash of water. To effectively kill germs, you must scrub your hands and wrists with warm soapy water for at least 30 seconds, or the length of time it takes a child to slowly sing the alphabet song.

Because MRSA is resistant to many different antibiotics, it is important to only take antibiotics when they are truly needed, such as with a bacterial infection. It is equally important to finish the entire round of antibiotics if your doctor prescribes them, even if you feel better. In addition, it is important to put bandages on any open wounds.

Even with family, it is important not to share any personal items such as towels, hair brushes, makeup, razors, or clothing. Everyone should be taught to wear flip flops in public showers. These may seem like basic hygiene practices, but they are very important because MRSA can live many days on almost any surface.

Everyone should be aware of the most common warning signs of MRSA. These include, but are not limited to, a wound or pimple like area that gets consistently worse or does not heal in a few days, a fever, and sometimes a rash. If you notice these signs, it is important to contact your family physician to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

At the doctor's office, your physician may make a small incision in the wound to drain some of the fluid from the affected area. Usually, the doctor will collect some of the drainage on a swab to send to the lab for a culture and test for MRSA and other forms of Staph. Often, once this is done, the treatment will begin with a topical antibiotic and possibly a round of oral antibiotics. During treatment, you must carefully monitor the area to be sure that it is improving. If you notice it getting worse, contact your doctor immediately.

MRSA is a very serious and dangerous infection that can cause hospitalization. It is, however, often preventable simply by using good hygiene and common sense. Every one can help to protect our children and our communities.