LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The bacterium Staphylococcus Aureus, commonly known as "Staph" is found everywhere in our environment, on our skin and in our noses; however, with the advent and frequent use of antibiotics in the modern world, we have developed "superbugs" that are resistant to the usual antibiotics such as penicillin.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, is one such bug, and although doctors have been aware of the emerging problem with MRSA for a number of years, there is evidence that these Staph infections are on the rise nationally.
Since these kinds of infections were identified among a handful of Hampton Roads students over the past few weeks, there has been significant local attention paid to this growing problem.
There are two kinds of MRSA infections. Those not related to healthcare are considered community-acquired. These kinds of infections usually begin as a pimple or boil that appears red, swollen, and painful and occur outside of a hospital setting. Although they are resistant to antibiotics such as penicillins, health care providers still have a number of antibiotics that are effective and can cure the infection.
According to research done throughout the last five years, the rate of MRSA infections in the community ranges from about one to three infections for every 10,000 people, and serious infections only happen in a very small number of these cases. It's important to remember that the risk of serious MRSA infections that are acquired in the community is extremely low. The risk of motor vehicle-related death is 15 times greater than the risk of a serious MRSA infection.
The second kind of MRSA infection is often related to a recent hospitalization, illness or surgery. The majority of serious MRSA infections occur in this group and are often related to older age. A serious MRSA infection is usually one in which the Staph bacterium has developed resistance to multiple antibiotics in addition to pencillins alone.
The following is adapted from fact sheets published by the Centers for Disease Control, which can be found at http://www.cdc.gov:
What type of infections does MRSA cause?
In the community, infections occur on the skin and begin as pustules or boils that often appear red, swollen, and painful or have pus or other drainage. Almost all MRSA skin infections can be effectively treated drainage of pus with or without antibiotics. Most serious infections are rare in healthy people who get MRSA skin infections.
How is MRSA transmitted?
MRSA is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces such as towels or bandages or contact with someone else's infection.
In what settings do MRSA skin infections occur?
These infections can occur anywhere. Some settings encourage these infections, including the five C's:
Crowding
Frequent skin-to-skin contact
Compromised skin such as cuts and abrasions
Contaminated items and surfaces and
Lack of cleanliness.
These conditions are typically found in schools, dormitories, military barracks, households and daycare centers.
How do I protect myself from MRSA?
First and foremost, good handwashing is key (soap and water or alcohol based sanitizers) as well as showering immediately after participating in exercise or sports. Cover skin abrasions or cuts immediately with a clean dry bandage until healed. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels and razors that come into contact with your bare skin and shared equipment such as weight-lifting benches.
For more information on MRSA, visit the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/index.htm.