Did you know that Methicillin – Resistant Staphylococcus Areaus, also know as MRSA is a frequent infection found in medical facilities? MRSA is a strain of staph that is resistant to common antibiotics and can be very difficult to treat. Staph is short for Staphylococcus; staph is a harmless bacteria which resides on the surface of all your skin. Usually this is not a problem until a person punctures their skin. They then face the risk of staph infection (Kidshealth. org 2012). MRSA frequents medical facilities the most, but also frequents the general community.
Reasoning behind why MRSA is mostly found in medical facilities is due to medical professionals handling large amounts of patients and some are guilty of improperly washing their hands. Another source of the MRSA infection can start in are incision. MRSA is a very serious bacterial infection and should not be disregarded, especially since it can be life threatening. With proper hand washing and ensuring to take the steps of good hygiene, MRSA can be reduced in medical facilities and in the community. An individual can get MRSA in many different ways.
Typically MRSA is colonized in the nose (Gortiwitz 2008). The easiest way for MRSA to spread to another person is through cuts or scrapes (e. g. broken skin). One should not believe that this is the only way to become infected by MRSA; it commonly appears when there are no signs of broken skin. In the health care setting, MRSA cases tend to be more severe, since many patients have open wounds, catheters entering the skin and surgical sites. Since most patients in the health care setting have weakened immune systems, this increases the risk of the bacterial infection.
On average medical professionals will find the signs of MRSA in surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and blood stream infections (CDC 2011). With the lack of proper hand washing from not only medical personnel but also friends and family members visiting the patient, they increase the chances of spreading bacteria thus causing the start of MRSA. In the community MRSA is indeed considered to be widespread, meaning anyone is at risk. Many people do not wash their hands often as they should. Imagine when one goes shopping, and other people have handled the shopping carts.
The majority of the population does not take the time to wash their hands and use the antibacterial wipes provided by majority of stores. Lets say a person has a tiny cut on their hand, arm or face; they have then handled the shopping cart, rubbed their arm where a cut is present, rubbed their eyes because they itch. The person then increases the risk of getting the MRSA infection. Scary thought right? If only people took the time to thoroughly wash their hands more frequently. We would not have to worry about things like shopping carts.
Community wide, there are individuals who lack proper hygiene. Some just do not care, others just simply can not always afford the essentials like soap. MRSA can be found residing in common living areas as well as facilities that are close quarters such as; gyms, military barracks, daycare centers, dorms and correctional facilities (CDC 2011). The CDC has published many studies throughout the years regarding MRSA infections in the general community and health care settings. As stated on the CDC’s website, MRSA infections have indeed been declining. MRSA began to reduce by 28% (CDC 2005 – 2008).
Due to medical awareness from the community and health care professionals, they are more aware of the importance of hand washing. This then reduces the risk of a more severe form of MRSA in early stages. There are many hospitals that preform a pre-screen for MRSA infections on patients before they are admitted into the hospital. The pre-screening process allows medical professionals to be aware and on top of medical treatment and care, so that MRSA is not spread to other patients treated (CDC 2011) Knowing that MRSA rates are decreasing all over the United States can be very encouraging for patients and health care professionals.
Though MRSA has been decreasing in the medical field, there is still more that needs to be done. In order to prevent spreading the infection with visitors and healthcare professionals, the MRSA education needs to continue. The CDC is also currently working on finding ways to prevent MRSA in all communities and facilities. MRSA has specific signs and symptoms to look for, though they can be confused with other signs and symptoms, every individual should be properly educated so that they can have a head start for early treatment. This will prevent long-term effects. Many may be wondering; well, what exactly do I look for?
How will I be sure whether or not this is indeed MRSA? An individual should keep a close eye on all cuts and abrasions. MRSA typically starts out looking like pimples and grows into painful boils. MRSA may also appear to look like a spider bite. You will most likely see this in areas that contain cuts and abrasions as well as parts of the body such as; parts that are covered with hair, armpits, neck, groin and the beard area of men (CDC 2011). It is best if possible to look at common pictures of MRSA online. Not only are these boils painful but also will look very red and sometimes turn purple.
Best practice is to keep the wound clean and covered; this will reduce risk of infection and potentially spreading infection to other people. It is important to steer clear of other individuals with cuts and/ or bandages. Another great source to look for information on MRSA is Webmd. com. According to the CDC, if an individual knows they in fact have MRSA, or knows someone with MRSA, these important steps will greatly reduce the risk of obtaining or spreading the infection; all wounds should be kept clean, dry and bandaged until they are completely healed.
It is also important to follow all the steps a physician provides to the patient. Frequent hand washing by not only the infected person but others who are in contact and around with the infected person. Personal items such as; razors, towels, clothes, sheets, bandages, and makeup should never be shared. The infected person should ensure they take the time to properly wash their laundry and maintain a clean environment such as clean counters and surfaces. Always remember to wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol based hand rub (commonly seen in medical facilities).
MRSA is not always avoidable but with proper hand washing, hygiene, and personal care this will not only reduce your risk for the infection of MRSA, but also help stop the spread of MRSA. ?
References Center for Disease Control and Prevention. MRSA infections (2011). Retrieved from cdc. gov/mrsa Gortwitz RJ et al. information retrieved from Journal of Infectious Diseases 197: 1226-34. & www. cdc. gov (2010). www. kidshealth. org Staph Infections (2011) www. webmd. com. Understanding MRSA Infections – The Basics. (n. d. ).