MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is responsible for several difficult treatments of infections in humans. Many MRSA infections occur in hospitals and health care facilities with a higher rate in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. There are many solutions that can reduce these infections which are beneficial for people. “According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 70 percent of the bacteria that cause hospital-associated infections are resistant to at least one of the drugs commonly used to treat them. In the U. S. , MRSA is associated with an estimated 19,000 deaths and $3.
2 to $4. 2 billion in added costs annually” (Garman, 2011). But there are many opportunities to prevent MRSA. “The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology – has published a second edition of its Guide to the Elimination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Transmission in Hospital Settings in an effort to provide the most current evidence-based practice guidance to protect patients from healthcare-associated infections” (Garman, 2011). There are simple solutions that prevent transmission of MRSA in hospitals, most MRSA transmissions in hospitals occur on the hands of health care workers.
By upkeep of hygiene, such as keeping hands clean by washing them with soap and water thoroughly as possible, to avoid contact by being around someone else who has wounds and sharing items with another individual who has the MRSA infection – i. e. clothes, towels, bench weights, dumbbells, and other objects that possibly had physically touched the infected wound.
Another way to prevent MRSA is to properly cover your wound by using brand-new, clean bandages, and to guarantee employers the availability of adequate facilities and supplies by encouraging workers to practice good hygiene consistently while protecting your workplace – i.e. Hand sanitizers, alcohol-based hand rubs and lastly, to keep cuts and scrapes very sanitary and clean and covered with a bandage until the infection is fully healed.
“According to 46 published reports on outbreaks, 10% of the hospitals with >40 cases have achieved definite or probable elimination of MRSA. Although >100 patients and staff members in our district initially became colonized by epidemic MRSA, this microbe is being controlled almost 10 years after these first outbreaks” (Kotilainen et al. , 2003).
With the reduction of transmission of MRSA in hospitals, there have been healthier results with those affected of MRSA. Intake reduction of consuming several antibiotics can be controlled and/or reduce MRSA. If the MRSA infection is severe, then a serious antibiotic like either Vancomycin or Linezolid is recommended. When using the antibiotic Linezolid by having a severe illness while infected to MRSA, then it’s mandatory to take two doses a day. Vancomycin, on the other hand, is used for the intestines to control infections.
The best way for MRSA prevention is to make sure that your hands are thoroughly washed with soap and water for fifteen to twenty seconds after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, and touching objects; however, if someone is not around a bathroom nearby soap and water, then hand sanitizer would be recommended (especially in public) although it is not as effective as soap and water; hands must be dried off thoroughly with a clean towel. When turning off the faucet, use a towel to prevent others from being infected.
Another solution for MRSA prevention is when starting to touch your laundry or changing your sheets, hold the dirty laundry away from the body to prevent bacterial germs on the clothes. Whether you’re washing clothes and/or bed sheets, do not forget to set both the washing machine water and the dryer on hot to wash and dry the clothes as thorough as possible, and controlling the foods you eat by having a healthy diet on a daily basis. In addition, taking a bath or shower often and always make sure to use soap to clean your body while showering or bathing at all times, these are just other ways to prevent MRSA.
“The study, which analyzed data from more than 300 microbiology labs across the United States, found a sevenfold increase in the proportion of CA-MRSA in outpatients between 1999 and 2006” (Hendrick, 2009). According to a study, scientists reported that MRSA had increased more than 90% of the patients that are infected with staph and also are responsible for 50% of the infection which is a major concern for those who are suffering from CA-MRSA, an infection that is caught outside of the hospital.
“CA-MRSA is a leading cause of serious skin and soft tissue infections that enters the body through scrapes and cuts, researchers say, adding that the best way to contain MRSA and other superbugs is through surveillance and regular efforts aimed at infection control” (Hendrick, 2009). All hospitals should make it mandatory to take steps by preventing both the HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA from continuously occurring.
One of the most beneficial ways to get rid of the MRSA infection in hospitals is taking care of your hygiene since the MRSA is resistant to most antibiotics which possibly cause severe infections to patients in hospitals. Another possible beneficial way to get rid of MRSA or prevent it from hospitals for their own safety is to clean and disinfect all of the hospital rooms properly to avoid the spread of bacteria, and for the patients to ask the hospital staff to clean their hands properly and thoroughly before treating them, and also to ask the visitors to clean their hands as well to prevent MRSA.
For MRSA, all hospital, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities should really consider and confirm proper and active patient screening upon admission to help prevent the sharing of MRSA infested carriers with non-carriers of being infected, and the disposal of used paper hospital gowns which can avoid the spread of MRSA infections.
References Many, P. S. , 2008.
Preventing Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant “Staphylococcus aureus” among Student Athletes. Journals of MRSA 24: 370-378 Alderson, K. , 2009. Germ Wars. Journals of MRSA 81: 30-33 Torry, C. , 2008. Multi-Tasking: Protecting Your Facilities from Infectious Diseases. Journals of MRSA 24: 34-37 Garman, L. , 2011. APIC Updates its Guide to the Elimination of MRSA in Hospitals. Journals of MRSA.