MRSA is a type of staph infection that is resistant to the antibiotics that are commonly used. Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus is what MRSA stands for and it is a bacterium that can cause infections in various parts of the body. It is very difficult to treat because of its resistance to the most common medications that are used to treat staph infections. MRSA prevention is very important because of this difficulty in treating the infection.
Because the infection can occur in various parts of the body, it is difficult to pinpoint any symptoms of it. It can occur on the skin and cause boils or skin infections, or it can cause serious complications to wounds from surgery, lung infection, urinary tract infection or the bloodstream. The symptoms will vary depending on where the infection has occurred.
Most cases of MRSA are not serious and won’t cause a life threatening situation, but there are serious cases that can cause a life threatening illness. It has been called a super bug by the medical community because of the resistance to treatment that it has and the spread of the infection has caused many to become alarmed.
Staph bacteria are common on our bodies and many people have it on their body without ever becoming infected by it. It is estimated that twenty five to thirty percent of the population have staph bacteria in the nose.
Staph becomes a problem when it enters into the body. It will usually occur from a cut which will develop into an infection. This is why MRSA prevention is so important. When the bacteria enter the body, it commonly causes minor skin infections that don’t really require any special type of treatment. When staph bacteria like MRSA infects surgical wounds or the lungs, the result can be much more complicated with conditions like pneumonia being the result in some cases.
A staph infection is treated with antibiotics. MRSA, however, has become resistant to the antibiotics that once eliminated it. Currently, MRSA is resistant to methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, oxacillin among other antibiotics that have been used to eliminate the staph infection.
The problem with MRSA is that it is constantly evolving and adapting to new antibiotics. As the medical community finds a new antibiotic to eliminate the infection, MRSA develops a resistance to it. Medicine is finding it difficult to keep up with the rapidly changing infection.
MRSA is spread through contact. Most often the contact occurs when someone touches a person who has the staph infection or something that has the bacteria on it. The spread of MRSA among the general population has increased in recent years. While it was once only common among patients of nursing homes or in hospitals, it has been showing up in the community at large as well.
MRSA prevention is recommended by the CDC as the most effective way to battle the bacteria. Some of the recommendations for people to prevent the infection are thorough washing of the hands. The CDC recommends reciting the alphabet while you are washing your hands with hot water and soap to ensure that you eliminate any bacteria that has gotten on your skin. Keep your wounds covered to avoid spreading bacteria as well as prevent the bacteria from getting into your body through the cut or abrasion. Also, make sure that you don’t touch other people’s wounds or bandages to prevent infection.
For MRSA prevention, you should also avoid sharing items like razors or towels. When you go to the gym, make sure that you wipe down the equipment before you use it and use a dryer to dry your clothing to prevent bacteria from building up on your clothing.
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