Why Worry About MRSA? What You Should Know About MRSA Infections and Treatment

It is quite likely that you have already heard about MRSA infections. There has been a lot of media interest in this topic during the last few years. The recent increase in the amount of effort by hospitals to eradicate this infection really creates the impression that this is a serious problem. In the rest of this article I'll look a bit more closely at MRSA infections.

What is MRSA?

MRSA stands for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Meticillin is a form antibiotic that has traditionally been used to treat infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Since the late fifties there has been a rise in the amount of Staphylococcus aureus that does not respond to this antibiotic; in other words it has developed a resistance to it. In fact MRSA is now resistant to many different antibiotics and not just the meticillin variety.

If an individual hears that they have MRSA they might become very alarmed and worried. The truth is though that many people have MRSA on their skin and it does not do them any damage while it just there. In fact it is believed that up to a third of people will have MRSA at one time or another; in the majority of cases it won't cause any disruption to their lives. A lot of people tend to pick up MRSA in hospital and it will disappear after about a month or so without causing any problems.

Why are MRSA infections dangerous?

Problems with MRSA infections occur when the bacteria finds a break in the skin or enters the body through the respiratory system. If a person has a urinary catheter then it can enter the body this way as well. If it gets into a wound it can really slow down the healing process. More worryingly, MRSA has been associated with the flesh eating bug (necrotizing fascitis) which can occur in people with reduced immune function. The real problem though starts when MRSA begins to infect body organs and enters the blood stream. This can lead to sepsis (toxic shock) which can quickly cause death.

How are MRSA infections treated?

Different antibiotics are used to treat the infection. The antibiotics will vary depending on what the bacteria will respond to. MRSA can be resistant to a growing number of antibiotics; for example, vancomycin has been a drug sometimes used to treat the infection but there are now some cases of Vancomycin resistantStaphylococcus aureus. If the MRSA is in a wound and it is not responding to antibiotics then the doctor may decide to drain the area. In the majority of cases MRSA will be treated successfully and it is only usually when a person has a reduced immune system that big problems occur.

How to prevent MRSA

The best way to deal with MRSA is to prevent it spreading. Hand washing is effective if it is done correctly; this is especially true in hospital where most MRSA infections are picked up. If an individual is told that they have MRSA on their skin it is also important that they use the creams provided by their doctor as directed.