Contagious Skin Infection --

the Super Bug MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) also called the "super bug", is a bacterial skin infection that can be serious and even deadly.

Approximately one in three healthy individuals carry this staphylococcus bacteria on the skin, or in their nose and also possibly in the back of their throat. Those individuals that are carrying the bacteria but are healthy are labeled as being colonised, but not infected.

If the bacteria do get under the skin through an opening such as a wound, then the person can become ill, especially if it reaches the blood stream.

These bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics, which makes fighting them difficult.

Individuals who are at most risk for contracting MRSA are those who have weakened immune systems like those who are elderly, premature and newborn babies, and those who already have infection of another nature in their body. Also at risk for MRSA are those who have burns, open wounds or are going into surgery or have open entrances into their body that are manmade like intravenous drip.

Individuals who are in close contact with those infected with MRSA are also at risk including hospital staff, nursing home staff and other residential care facilities that have nursing care associated with them.

It is very important for any health care giver, professional or not, to have all open cuts or scrapes covered to eliminate or at least lower the risk of picking up a MRSA infection from someone.

What does MRSA look like? It can appear as pimples or boils. The area that is infected will look swollen, red and be painful. Bacteria from MRSA can travel into the bloodstream if the infected wound is deep. This can cause secondary infections such as abscesses, osteomyelitis (bone infection), heart valve infections, urinary tract infections and lung infections such as pneumonia. Blood poisoning (septicaemia) is also a threat.

These secondary infections can be serious and compromise an already weakened immune system.

Your doctor will use a culture to determine the bacteria causing the infection. If the bacteria - S. aureus is found in the culture, a test will be conducted to see if methicillin antibiotic will kill the bacteria; if it doesn't than the diagnosis of MRSA will be made.

Those who are colonised should make an effort to get rid of or at least reduce the bacteria on their skin, to reduce the risk of contracting MRSA if a wound should happen. Those infected with the MRSA bacteria will be treated with antibiotics that are shown to be able to kill the MRSA bacterial such as linezolid, teicoplanin or vancomycin.

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