MRSA Tearpad

Learning About MRSA Germs (bacteria) are all around us. Whether they cause illness or not depends on where they live and what poisons they produce. One type is staphylococcus (staff-ah-lo-cock-us) or staph. This is a common germ that lives in people and on their skin.

About MRSA

Staph is often found on your skin or in your nose. But, it can also get inside your body and cause an infection.

Staphylococcus aureus (are-e-us) or S. aureus is one type of staph bacteria.

S. aureus is most often treated with strong antibiotics – like methicillin (meth-a-sill-in).

Staph causes minor diseases like acne, boils and pimples. Or it can get through your skin and infect your:

But, some germs resist the methicillin so it may not be able to cure the infection.

These germs are called MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). There are very few drugs that can be used to treat MRSA, and most often these have to be given in the hospital.

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About staph infections

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You can also have a staph infection and not know it. It does not make you ill—you just carry it.

But you can pass it on to others and make them sick.

For healthy people, MRSA most often causes a mild infection of the skin that can be treated. However, for people who are sick or weak, MRSA can be hard-to-treat or life-threatening.

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Learning About MRSA Who is at risk?

What are the signs?

As a rule, healthy adults and children are at very little risk of getting a serious case of MRSA. Most often, patients of hospitals or nursing homes get infected.

And it can be serious for them.

They are not able to fight off the infection because they either:

If MRSA gets in a wound, it will:

hurt If the infection is bad, you may have: fever

headache

fatigue (be very tired)

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have a weakened immune system

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are very sick

have red skin near or around it

have a bedsore (pressure ulcer wound)

MRSA may be found anywhere there are people. There can be outbreaks of MRSA where good hygiene is not practiced, including offices, schools and gyms.

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have a catheter (a tube) going into their body

Where can MRSA be found?

What each hospital does may vary, but one with MRSA is most often isolated from others to avoid spreading the infection.

How is MRSA spread?

MRSA is spread by touching others.

It is not spread through the air. You can also get it from things that have MRSA on them. Once it gets on your hands, you can spread it to yourself or others.

When it is just on your hands it is called “colonized”. You carry the germ and can give it to others, but are not infected by it. If it gets “in your body” you are “infected”.

Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Atlanta, GA 800-241-4925 Providing Quality Health Education Materials Since 1973

What can you do?

Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand disinfectants are also good for cleaning your hands.

Other good hygiene steps to take: Cover any wound with a bandage.

Look at every wound for any sign of MRSA. Do not share personal items.

Wash your clothes and linens in hot water and dry on the hot cycle.

Copyright © 2007 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.