Let’s Talk About the MRSA Infection
In our last blog, we discussed the top infectious diseases, how they spread, and how you can prevent contamination. In this blog, we’ll answer a question we’re asked on a daily basis: What is the MRSA infection? We’ll focus on this very common infectious disease, which is caused by a bacterium that has become resistant to most of the antibiotics that previously destroy it. It can, therefore, be a very deadly disease.
MRSA is a staph infection. Its name describes its dangerous resistance to antibiotics: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. “Methicillin” refers to the primary antibiotic that was used to destroy the bacteria and to which the bacteria have become immune. “Resistant” describes why the bacteria are so dangerous—they resist the most common and once-effective antibiotic that was used to destroy the bacteria. “Staphylococcus aureus,” referred to as “Staph,” is a group of very common and generally harmless bacteria, which are present most frequently in the human nose but also exist in other places like the armpit, groin, and throat.
What is the MRSA Infection & How Do You Get It?
The MRSA Staph infection affects primarily the skin, but it can enter the body and become life-threatening if it overwhelms the bloodstream and invades organs like the lungs and heart, causing lung, bone, bladder, and heart-valve infections. Because it is so difficult to treat, its chances of entering the bloodstream are much greater. You get MRSA staph infection in the following ways:
- Contact through a skin abrasion with the surface of an inanimate object contaminated by MRSA bacteria. MRSA can live on surfaces for 8 weeks to over 6 months.
- Contact through a skin abrasion with bacteria from an open wound of an infected person.
People most at risk have weakened immune systems, have open wounds making it easy for the bacteria to enter the body, or live or work in close physical contact with others. Military personnel, athletes, and people in day-care centers or nursing home are examples of high-risk candidates for MRSA infection.
Identifying the MRSA Staph Infection Symptoms
The MRSA infection looks like any other Staph infection, making diagnosing MRSA Staph infection symptoms tricky. You should become suspicious if your symptoms worsen and don’t respond to antibiotics. Then a bacteria culture should be taken to test specifically for MRSA. MRSA diagnosis begins with a bacteria culture that isolates the bacteria as Staph. The MRSA strain is recognized in the lab when the Staph bacteria are cultured in the presence of the antibiotic methicillin. If the bacteria continue to grow, the infection is then diagnosed as MRSA. MRSA Staph infection symptoms vary depending on where the infection is located.
These are the primary MRSA Staph Infection symptoms:
- The presence on the skin of pus in boils, abscesses, carbuncles, and blisters.
- Sties on the tissue around the eyes.
- Small red bumps that may cause itching and may resemble insect bites.
- Red, inflamed skin that feels hot to the touch.
- Sepsis, which includes
- Fever
- Chills
- Low blood pressure
- Weakness
- Mental deterioration
MRSA Staph Infection Treatment
Treatment of MRSA Staph Infection varies depending on the severity of the symptoms and location of the infection. If you show any of the above MRSA Staph Infection symptoms, you should seek medical attention.
- Never try to drain skin boils, abscesses, carbuncles, and blisters yourself. You can make the infection worse and spread the bacteria.
- Keep wounds clean and covered with a clean, dry bandage until they are healed, which will prevent bacteria spread.
- Wash your hands often.
Emergency Infectious Disease Decontamination Services 24/7
Advanced Bio Treatment is here for you 24 hours every day of the year. ABT takes emergency decontamination phone calls and we will work with your insurance company.
Should you need our services, please call us at 800-295-1684.