Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, staph infection, “superbug”– these terms have been in the media a lot over the past year and you may be very concerned about how to prevent staph infections.

MRSA infections are caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which are now responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than AIDS. It has been nicknamed the "superbug" by the media because of its resistance to several commonly used antibiotics.

MRSA is not fundamentally different from other staph infections; it is not more virulent or longer-lived. Instead, the problem with MRSA is that because it does not respond to most antibiotics that are commonly prescribed for staph infections, it often gets a chance to do a lot of damage to the body before doctors realize that it must be treated differently. MRSA can be treated effectively with antibiotics, but it requires the use of more powerful and toxic antibiotics such as vancomycin.

Many healthy people carry staphylococcus aureus bacteria on their skin. Staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or other wound. Even then, they typically cause only minor skin infections in healthy people. But sometimes, usually in older adults and people who are ill or have weakened immune systems, ordinary staph infections can cause serious illness.

Until recently, almost all antibiotic-resistant cases of staph infection occurred inside hospitals. However, MRSA infections contracted outside of hospitals, called community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) are becoming more common. The most serious cases of CA-MRSA infection cause a “flesh eating” disease known as necrotizing fasciitis. Such infections must be treated by administering intravenous antibiotics and may require surgery to remove portions of the body infected with MRSA bacteria.

MRSA infections spread through close association such as skin-to-skin contact, contact with skin wounds and through contact with contaminated items, where staph bacteria can live for 24 hours or more. In some cases, staph bacteria can enter healthy, intact skin. The best way to reduce your chance of contracting a MRSA infection is to practice good hygiene. These tips from the Mayo Clinic can help reduce your risk of MRSA infections:

• Wash your hands. Careful hand washing remains your best defense against germs. Scrub hands briskly for at least 15 seconds, then dry them with a disposable towel and use another towel to turn off the faucet. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer containing at least 62 percent alcohol for times when you don't have access to soap and water.
• Keep personal items personal. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, sheets, razors, clothing and athletic equipment. MRSA spreads on contaminated objects as well as through direct contact.
• Keep wounds covered. Keep cuts and abrasions clean and covered with sterile, dry bandages until they heal. The pus from infected sores may contain MRSA, and keeping wounds covered will help keep the bacteria from spreading.
• Shower after athletic games or practices. Shower immediately after each game or practice. Use soap and water. Don't share towels.
• Sit out athletic games or practices if you have a concerning infection. If you have a wound that's draining or appears infected — for example is red, swollen, warm to the touch or tender — consider sitting out athletic games or practices until the wound has healed.
• Sanitize linens.If you have a cut or sore, wash towels and bed linens in a washing machine set to the "hot" water setting (with added bleach, if possible) and dry them in a hot dryer. Wash gym and athletic clothes after each wearing.
• Get tested. If you have a skin infection that requires treatment, ask your doctor if you should be tested for MRSA. Doctors may prescribe drugs that aren't effective against antibiotic-resistant staph, which delays treatment and creates more resistant germs. Testing specifically for MRSA may get you the specific antibiotic you need to effectively treat your infection.
• Use antibiotics appropriately. When you're prescribed an antibiotic, take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better. Don't stop until your doctor tells you to stop. Don't share antibiotics with others or save unfinished antibiotics for another time. Inappropriate use of antibiotics, including not taking all of your prescription and overuse, contributes to resistance. If your infection isn't improving after a few days of taking an antibiotic, contact your doctor.

Want to learn more? Ask an Expert at Healia Health Communities. You can also share your experiences with others in the Healia Health Community for MRSA.  


_{Photo: Allen W. Mathies, MD, CDC Public Health Image Library}