MRSA Infection Facts
1 MRSA is a bacteria. Bacteria can live outside your body. Viruses die if they can’t get inside you. Bacteria will live on your skin until they find a cut to infect
2 People ask about an incubation period – how long before I get ill? It could be minutes or it could be decades. It waits until you have a wound, nick or cut which it can compromise.
3 MRSA is what some people call MERSA. It has become known as MERSA because of how news readers pronounce the initials.
4 The doctors can get rid of it. Soaps like Hibiclens clean your skin. Special nasal creams decolonise your nose, where it tends to hide. Drugs like Linezolid or Vancomycin dampen down or kill you bloodstream infection. Some doctors wont give you the nasal cream because overuse would make it drug resistant and it could then not be used on people before surgery to combat post operative infections. They also worry that you’ll catch it again any way within weeks.
5 Some people catch MRSA in hospital. The hospital type is resistant to many drugs. In the last 5 years people have started to catch community strains which spread among people with no hospital contact. These can be treated with more drugs at this time but in 5-10 years may be as resistant as the hospital type.
6 What can you do if a family or friend gets it? Don’t freak out. It is a slightly worse version of the staph infection that 30% of people are vulnerable to. But don’t be too chilled. It can make other illnesses or wounds way more complicated. Avoid sharing household items like towels, combs etc. Wash you hands when you get up, before meals, any time you go to the toilet and last thing at night. These simple actions will lessen the risk a lot.
7 Will sex mean my partner gets it? Highly likely. All that skin contact is going to mean transfer. Worth remembering the 30% SA statistic again. Only caution is if partner has major health vulnerabilities or current wound. Down to Walgreens for the Hibiclens for the whole body bacteria cleanse. It’s not foolproof but it will help. Make sure the groin and armpits are thoroughly done.
8 MRSA isn’t a death sentence. 1 in 3 people in your town have the SA part which can be a problem if you are ill or have a wound. MRSA is more of a problem because there are less drugs to treat it not because it is always more destructive than an ordinary staph infection.
9 Why do I keep getting reinfected? Sometimes the drugs clear the skin infection that many suffer but another one appears within weeks. The bacteria may have lingered on quietly in the nose, groin or armpits and infected a new cut or skin weakness. It is also highly possible that people become reinfected in the community – this could be via other carriers who have no sign of infection. These sources include pets, children in day care, friends and sexual partners. People with chronic infections may want to look carefully at possible reinfection sources
More facts added soon
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Very helpful. Thanks!
i have been hangin out with someone who has mrsa for three months is it possible i dont have mrsa?
@mike
Depends what you mean by hanging out. If the physical contact between you is slight and you’re a regular hand washer then you may not have it. If you are sexually involved then the skin to skin contact is likely to mean you are colonised. You could be colonised and never have an active infection – but it does make you more vulnerable
Ive just recently published a book, where I interviewed 7 people who share their stories on how they have successfully managed to beat MRSA using all natural alternative remedies. It really is a must read for anyone suffering from this painful infection. http://www.mrsa-staph-infection.com/product.html
If a person has MRSA is it safe to work in a kitchen at a restaurant?
1 in 3 kitchen staff are likely to have the SA part. Maybe 1 in 10 will have MRSA. They and you need to observe the hand hygiene that is vital in a kitchen anyway. That will normally be enough to protect you from cross infection
I’ve been treated for MRSA twice now and I have it again. Why do I keep getting it? I was on Doxicylin for 21 days and now I have two more red pimples on my buttocks. HELP!
It may clear in the skin infection but be lingering quietly in your nose, groin or armpit. You may have a vulnerable immune system or you may be being reinfected within the home or community. Reinfection can happen via pets, friends or partners. Has your medical team suggesyed measures to clear it from your skin with special washes etc?
I am the infection control officer here at our fire department. I was just informed that one of our guys has MRSA. He was diagnosed about a year ago but it has occurred again. Obviously in this setting we share everything bathrooms, workout equipment etc. I understand it is on his lower legs. Any suggestions on what he and we can do to prevent further exposure to other firefighters?
30% of the firefighters will probably have the SA part anyway as that is the general rate in the wider population. He will need to have his own towel for his exclusive use. He should also clean workout equipment after use. MRSA is a more powerful version of the common SA infection. Hand washing after gym use and paper towels in that context will also help stop infection spread
My sister had an hurnia operation. A few weeks later she was diagnosed with MRSA. Sha has 2 young children and she is so concerned about them and what’s gonna happen to her. Please advice how serious this is especially that it is internally.
An internal infection is serious and may take some time to recover from. It tends to only be life threatening in patients with several other health challenges. Otherwise healthy people who get an infection during a routine operation tend to have the resilience to return to full health. The fact that it is MRSA makes it harder to treat but more general SA infections are more much more prevalent.
Dave Roberts
my mother has been diagnosed w/ mrsa. she’s been prescribed w/ sulfameth/tmp ds tab, and is now experiencing a sudden fever, dizziness and fatigue. is this a reaction to the medication? should she continue taking the meds?
It could be caused by the MRSA. You should seek expert medical opinion. Also Google the full name of the drugs with the words side effects added
Dave Roberts
I have been informed that my dad has MRSA infection. He is presently in hospital. He has had his leg amputated about 3 weeks ago. I’m told that I shouldn’t worry about this. Will he have this MRSA problem for the rest of his life?
My baby is 45days old. He’s one eye having discharged.
After eye swab culture test found culture yielded heavy growth of MRSA.
Please be good enough to let us know what we do now.
Doctors say can do only wash 5 days baby’s body from 2% hibitan Lotion.
Is there any eye medicine?
It depends – some drugs work better than others in eliminating it. There will also be skin cleaning routines that will help him stay clear. There can be problems with people being reinfected in the community and feeling that it is the old infection returning but it may be a completely new infection. MRSA can ‘hide’ for years and have no ill effect and then infect a wound or cut. Do you know what drugs they are treating him with.
Have they not prescribed any antibiotics – let me know?
Dave Roberts
MRSA Infection
hi, im a nurse that has been working in my local hospital for years now. there are several clients that present to our ward with mrsa and are isolated, some also have vre. they are isolated in their own room with ensuite and protective gloves and gowns are worn by staff. we have a policy that screens only patients that have come from another facility, patients from a nursing home, patients who have been in hospital within the last 6 mths, patients with infectious looking wounds and those with a history of mrsa. often results of some patients just on routine tests come back positive and are then isolated but until this time are usually in the general ward area and no gloves etc are worn by staff during this time. is it possible that by being constantly exposed to the hospital setting that my chances of also having mrsa are significantly increased. is simple hand hygeine enough. i often keep my work clothes seperate from everything else as im fearful i could bring it home to my household if i may have it
You are making all the right moves re personal hygiene and as you note your hospital is proactively isolating high risk patients. It is a stubborn fact that hospital staff tend to have higher colonisation rates of MRSA and that short of testing all patients – which some states are exploring – there is always going to be a vulnerability. The hand hygiene protocols are your major protection as they tend to knock out the bacteria before it ’settles’.
I had surgery a little over a month ago. Now I am told I have MRSA. My incision is right belowmy belly button, then below that my skin is bright red, like I was badly sunburned. Very painful. This is my third aantibiotic with no relief yet!! Have you ever heard of someone with this having surgery to get rid of it? My doctor said he would give me one more week on antibiotic, then if there is no change, they will open me up and clean it out! I haven’t been able to find information for this treatment plan anywhere!!
Slightly surprised re the delay. Does the infection appear to be in the surface wound or under the skin. What antibiotics have you had so far?
Dave Roberts
MRSA Infection