WARNING SIGNS FOR MRSA?
WHAT IS MRSA?
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria that is resistant to several antibiotics. According to the CDC, the Staphylococccus aureus (staph) bacteria are commonly found in the nose and on the skin of healthy people. When staph is present on or in the body without causing illness, this is called colonization. Staph with resistance to some antibiotics (e.g., methicillin) are known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). When bacteria are resistant to an antibiotic it means that the antibiotic will not kill the bacteria. MRSA was first identified in healthcare facilities. MRSA is now being seen among young healthy people in the community; this is referred to as community-acquired MRSA.
In the community (where you live, work, shop, and go to school or childcare), MRSA most often causes skin infections. In some cases, it causes pneumonia (lung infection) and other infections. If left untreated, MRSA infections can become severe and cause sepsis—the body’s extreme response to an infection.
SYMPTOMS
What are symptoms of MRSA Infection?
The symptoms of a MRSA infection depend on the part of the body that is infected.
For example, people with MRSA skin infections often can get swelling, warmth, redness, and pain in infected skin. In most cases it is hard to tell if an infection is due to MRSA or another type of bacteria without laboratory tests that your doctor can order. Some MRSA skin infections can have a fairly typical appearance and can be confused with a spider bite. However, unless you actually see the spider, the irritation is likely not a spider bite.
Most S. aureus skin infections, including MRSA, appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that might be:
• red
• swollen
• painful
• warm to the touch
• full of pus or other drainage
• accompanied by a fever
How can I prevent a MRSA Infection?
You can take these steps to reduce your risk of MRSA infection:
• Maintain good hand and body hygiene. Clean hands often, and clean your body regularly, especially after exercise.
• Keep cuts, scrapes, and wounds clean and covered until healed.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as towels.
• Get care early if you think you might have an infection.
What if I see these symptoms?
You cannot tell by looking at the skin if it’s a staph infection (including MRSA).
Getting medical care early makes it less likely that the infection will become serious.
If you or someone in your family experiences the signs and symptoms of MRSA:
• Contact your healthcare provider, especially if the symptoms are accompanied by a fever.
• Do not pick at or pop the sore.
• Cover the area with clean, dry bandages until you can see a healthcare provider.
• Clean your hands often.
How do I prevent the spread of MRSA?
• Cover the wounds with clean, dry bandages until healed. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions about proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain MRSA.
• Do not pick at or pop the sore.
• Throw away bandages and tape with the regular trash.
• Clean your hands often. You, your family, and others in close contact should wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub, especially:
after changing a bandage
after touching an infected wound
after touching dirty clothes
• Do not share personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, and clothing, including uniforms.
• Wash laundry before use by others and clean your hands after touching dirty clothes.
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP)
Disclaimer
This information is for general purposes only and should not be construed as a substituted for professional advice from your health professional. We do not support self-diagnosis based on any information found in this fact sheet. We are not responsible for any self-diagnosis made by a reader based on information found in this fact sheet. It is merely meant to be an informational tool to present warning signs that should be brought to the attention of a medical doctor.