Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, referred to as MRSA, is an infection caused by a type of Staphylococcus bacteria that is resistant to many of the antibiotics commonly used to treat Staphylococcus infections. MRSA most often causes skin infections, but it can also cause serious infections in the lungs, heart, and bloodstream. MRSA is contagious and can spread through skin-to-skin contact or on surfaces.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a Staphylococcus infection vary depending on the part of the body that is infected. Most Staphylococcus infections present on the skin and appear as a bump or infected area that might be red, swollen, painful, warm to the touch, full of pus or other drainage, or accompanied by a fever. These breaks in the skin are sometimes mistaken as spider bites.

Risk Factors

Anyone can get MRSA, but some groups are at higher risk for development such as contact-sport athletes, school students, military personnel, people with recent hospitalization or those with immunosuppression, people with recent surgery or those with implanted medical devices, and people who inject drugs.

Complications

MRSA infections can resist the effects of many antibiotics, which makes the infections harder to treat. As a result, the infections spread more easily and sometimes become life-threatening. Serious complications can include pneumonia, bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, sepsis, loss of infected limbs, and death (if left untreated).

When to Seek Care

Close monitoring of minor skin issues such as pimples, insect bites, cuts, or scrapes is advised. Seek medical evaluation immediately if any wound appears to be infected (increased swelling, pain, redness, drainage), a fever develops, a large wound is present, or a wound isn’t healing.

Treatment

Medical providers treat MRSA infections by caring for the open wounds and prescribing antibiotics that are known to be effective against MRSA. Wound treatment may include draining fluid or removing infected tissue. Diagnosis can be aided by sending a sample of body tissue or fluid to the laboratory for testing, typically by using a swab collected at the wound. It is important to follow all treatment instructions to prevent infection recurrence.

Prevention

It is important to follow good hygiene practices to prevent MRSA. Practices include washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer; keeping wounds/scrapes/cuts clean and covered with clean, dry bandages until they heal; not sharing personal care items such as razors, towels, athletic equipment, or clothing; showering, using soap and water, immediately after each workout, practice, and/or game (but not sharing towels); laundering gym and athletic clothes after each wearing; using disinfectants that kill germs to wipe down high-touch areas like light switches, remotes, and athletic equipment; and, if a wound/scrape/cut is present, washing towels and bed linens in the washing machine on the hottest water setting and drying in a hot dryer.