Understanding MRSA
There has been plenty in the news lately about MRSA. MRSA is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a type of bacteria that causes "staph" infections that are resistant to all of the usually prescribed antibiotics.
Patients at highest risk for MRSA are those who undergo invasive surgery or medical procedures who have weakened immune systems and undergo these procedures in nursing homes or hospitals. MRSA can cause life-threatening infecitons of the bloodstream, surgical site or even pneumonia.
Persons who have not been hospitalized within the last year can also contract MRSA.
The most common source of transmission for MRSA is persons who carry the bacteria on their skin or in their nose but do not have symptoms.
The main mode of transmission of MRSA is from person -to-person through hand contact, especially healthcare workers hands. Healthcare workers hands become contaminated when they touch infected patients or patients who are carriers of the bacteria. Appropriate hand washing procedures would reduce this mode of transmission greatly.
Bacteria become antimicrobial resistant when they change or adapt to the presence of antibiotics that are designed to kill them.
Those patients who contract MRSA may suffer more, have longer hospital stays and pay more for their treatments than patients who do not have MRSA.
There is a cure for MRSA and it is preventable.
There are many things that the CDC is currently doing to help decrease the presence of MRSA in healthcare settings. This includes the following:
Monitoring trends of MRSA nationally.
Work with multiple prevention partners
Develop strategy to guide healthcare facilities in controlling antibiotic resistance called "The Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance in Healthcare Settings".
There are many things that healthcare facilities can do to minimize exposure to MRSA for their healthcare patients and staff. The things they can do include:
Setting policy to sanitize surfaces, contain airborne bacteria and monitor construction, remodeling projects and demolition in and around the healthcare facility.
Teach all staff proper hand washing procedure and when to use it.
Sterilization procedures for all equipment used in surgical procedures and invasive medical procedures need to be updated and adhered to by all staff.
All visitors should be required to wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs before visiting and upon leaving a patients room.
Patients can follow some precautionary procedures before being admitted to the hospital especially if they are scheduled for elective surgery. These procedures include:
Washing their entire body including hair with antibacterial soap.
They can also become knowledgeable concerning what signs and symptoms to watch out for regarding MRSA infection.
Once in the hospital patients should avoid sharing magazines, newspapers or books with other patients.
Avoid sharing any personal items with others.
Education and Prevention are the keys to stemming the spread of MRSA infections in healthcare facilities, long-term facilities and in our schools, workplaces and our homes.
