MRSA Infection - Superbug Information and Tips

Frequently asked questions about the Superbug

What is MRSA?
MRSA infection: Who can be affected?
MRSA Prevention

What is MRSA?

MRSA was discovered in the 1960s. MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

As the name already indicates, mrsa is a type of bacterium that has become resistant against the antibiotic Methicillin, and many other penicillin related antibiotics. That is why this bacterial infection is extremely hard to treat effectively.

The only antibiotic that seems to help with mrsa infections is vancomycin. However, scientists are now afraid that even a treatment with vancomycin will fail in the future. There is clearly a need for alternative treatments, such as natural antibiotics.  

Staphylococcus aureus (often called “staph”) is actually a common bacterium that lives harmlessly in many healthy people. Staph bacteria mainly occur on people’s skin or inside the nose without affecting their health.

Staph bacteria can sometimes cause minor infections on the skin, like pimples or boils, which can usually be treated with antibacterial products.

However, staph aureus bacteria can also cause more complicated or even fatal infections such as wound infections, bone infections or even pneumonia. These infections usually occur in immune-suppressed patients, elderly people or people with surgical implants.

MRSA is causing the same infections as the common staph bacteria is causing, however due to its antibiotic resistance an mrsa infection is more dangerous because it is so hard to treat.

In the US more than 100,000 people need to even go to the hospital due to Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

MRSA Infection: Who can be affected?

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus mainly occurs in hospitalized elderly patients with open wounds (like bedsores) or surgical implants and in nursing homes.

Higher risk for an infection occurs in hospitals if patients

        stay for a long time period in the hospital

        take broad-spectrum antibiotics

        stay in the intensive care or burn unit

        have close contact with infected patients

        had a recent surgery

MRSA infections are contagious and can also spread among people outside of hospitals. Hygiene is absolutely necessary to avoid any possible infections. Therefore, besides the regular hygiene procedures such as washing your hands, avoid close direct contact with infected people and do not touch any objects an infected person might have touched (like towels, sheets etc.).
 
Infections that occur outside the hospitals and healthcare facilities are called community-associated Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. Community-associated infections are usually infections of the skin, but they can spread easily to other areas.  Therefore prevention is very important.

Prevention

The best prevention is absolute hygiene.

• Always wash your hands with soap and water
• Always keep wounds clean and covered with the right dressing until they are healed
• Avoid contact with infected people or objects they might have touched

Prevention in hospitals:

• Infected patients should be isolated from healthcare personal and other patients
• All object that came into contact with infected patients need to be sterilized
• Healthcare personal and visitors of the infected patients have to wear gloves and gowns
• Personal dealing with infected patients needs to be tested for colonization with the bacteria and if tested positive need to immediately stop contact with the patient