Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus - Article Example

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of bacteria that has become resistant to many antibiotics, including methicillin, penicillin, amoxicillin, and cephalosporins. It is routinely pronounced M.R.S.A. MRSA belongs to the large group of bacteria known as Staphylococci, often called Staph (MedicineNet, 2009). “Its a strain of staph thats resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it” (Mayo Clinic, 2008). Nearly 25-30% of all people have Staph within the nose but it does not lead to any serious infection. MRSA is typically transmitted from people with active MRSA and primarily by the hands. The hands can get contaminated as they come in contact with colonized or infected people. It can also be acquired if they come in contact with items or surfaces contaminated with body fluids containing MRSA (MedicineNet, 2009). They can also occur is hospitals or health care settings like nursing homes or dialysis centers. This is known as health care-associated MRSA, or HA-MRSA (Mayo Clinic, 2008). Older people with a weak immune system are at high risk of contacting HA-MRSA. MRSA infections are most common in hospitals or other institutional health care settings. It usually strikes the older people who have a weakened immune system. it is also a frequent cause of surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, sepsis and pneumonia. Outbreaks of MRSA are increasing in the community. It has been found that even people who have not been hospitalized nor had a medical procedure in the past year, carry this infection. This is known as community-associated MRSA infections (CA-MRSA). Today it is associated that about 12% of such cases are community associated (Mayo Clinic, 2008). In the community this infection can be transmitted with skin-to-skin contact, abrasions of the skin contaminated items or surfaces and crowded living conditions or poor hygiene. Basically the infection occurs because the body becomes resistant to antibiotics and the human themselves bear the responsibility for this. Excessive and unnecessary antibiotic use can render the body immune to antibiotics (Mayo Clinic, 2008). Antibiotics are generally prescribed for common colds and flu or for simple viral and bacterial infections which normally clear on their own. In the United States antibiotics can also be found in livestock. The runoff from the feedlots contaminates the streams and other water bodies and it hence finds its way into the municipal water system. Antibiotics do not destroy every germ they target and hence they contribute to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. Germs that survive treatment with one bacterium learn how to tackle others. Over time the germs learn to be resistant to just about everything. This is the reason why very few drugs are effective for staph. People with over 14 days of hospital stay have a higher chance of contacting the infection. The community associated MRSA usually affects the skin and leads to pimples and boils in otherwise healthy people. Infected areas may become red, swollen, painful and have pus formation. They usually start as small red bumps and can be mistaken for spider bites or boils or pimples. It is likely that they quickly turn into deep, painful abscesses that require surgical draining. At times, the bacteria may remain confined to the skin and can penetrate when any wound or cut occurs on the skin. If it penetrates it can lead to life threatening infections in bones, joints, surgical wounds, the bloodstream, heart valves and lungs (Mayo Clinic, 2008). The staph bacteria can also cause cellulites - a localized skin infection which can make the skin red, painful, and warm, or folliculitis - an infection of hair follicles. It can even cause blisters or impetigo or paronychia - an infection of the skin folds of the nails. MRSA can affect people of all ages and hence acre is essential. In children it can enter through a cut and can quickly cause a widespread infection. Children are easily susceptible because their immune system may not be developed or they do not have antibodies to common germs. CA-MRSA is responsible for serious skin and soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia (Mayo Clinic, 2008). Sports people can be easily affected when the infection spreads through cuts and abrasions. It can also lead to blood infection or infection on the heart valves. It can also cause bone infection or scalded skin syndrome or septic arthritis which is an infection of the joint like the hip or the knee (Iannelli, 2008). It can even cause infection of the glands on the eyelid, ear infection, sinusitis or toxic shock syndrome. Antistaphylococcal antibiotics are most commonly used for treating such infections (Iannelli, 2008). For simple impetigo, a topical antibiotic cream may be applied. Warm compression or drainage is used fro abscesses and for more serious or persistent infections, an oral or intravenous antibiotic may be used. To treat complicated and soft tissue infections a newer antibiotic is now available and which can treat MRSA in children. Since this infection is easily found in the nose, it spreads faster as children pick their nose. To eradicate it from the community, mupicorin nasal gel should be taken twice daily for the first few days and then take weekly baths. This would help to treat all the family members at one go. Maintaining good hygiene is the most effective ay to prevent MRSA infections and to prevent recurrence of treated lesions (MedicineNet, 2009). Hands should be frequently washed and hand-sanitizer lotions should be used. Wounds should be kept clean and covered until healed. Pus from the infected sores may contain MRSA. Contact with others’ wounds should be avoided and items like towels and razors should not be shared. It is also advisable to shower immediately after a game or practice. Any skin infection that requires treatment should be tested for MRSA infection. Testing may bring out the specific antibiotic to which the infection may respond. Antibiotics should also not be shared with others or saved for another time. It should be used as and when prescribed by the doctor. References Iannelli, V 2008, Staph Skin Infections and MRSA, retrieved online 19 February 2009, from http://pediatrics.about.com/od/childhoodinfections/a/staph_infection.htm Mayo Clinic, 2008, MRSA infection, retrieved online 19 February 2009, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735 MedicineNet, 2009, Superbug Staph Spread in Community, retrieved online 19 February 2009, from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46074 Read More