Staph aureus bacteria is carried by 1 in 3 people. You can be colonised by staph infection bacteria, have no symptoms and only suffer an infection when it attacks another illness, wound or graze area. Antibiotics used against staph are often battling multi-drug resistant staph (MRSA). 1% of the population now carry it as a result of infection while in hospital. Community Acquired MRSA (CA MRSA) is a different type of infection. It mainly causes skin infections and can be treated by more drugs. It does however spread faster and can do more damage than the hospital strain to those it infects.
How is it treated? There are 3 main treatment methods. Find out what you might need
How do you catch MRSA?
There are at least 8 ways. Discover the keys to your protection
How to stop MRSA Clean hospitals and hands are a key. There are six other things you can do
How long before you get ill? MRSA wont make you ill straight away. Discover the facts
Swine Flu & MRSA MRSA and Staph infections often hit those already weakened by flu. Read the latest news or find out more at The Swine Flu Report
(MRSA is sometimes called mrsa staff, mersa, mursa, merced, staff
infection, mrsa virus or msra. It is not a virus. Viruses need to
infect something to keep on living. Bacteria can exist on their own for
months)
More about MRSA
Basics
MRSA Infection Patterns | Community Acquired MRSA | MRSA FAQ | MRSA Headlines | Colonization | MRSA Basic Facts
Have you got MRSA?
MRSA Screening | MRSA Test | MRSA Colonization | MRSA Family Infection
MRSA At Risk Groups
MRSA and Children | MRSA and Prisons | MRSA and Drug Use | MRSA and Sport | MRSA in Hospital Staff | MRSA & Care Homes | MRSA and Sexual Factors | MRSA in Schools | MRSA in the Military
MRSA Treatment
MRSA Forum | MRSA Garlic Treatment | MRSA Drug Development | MRSA & Linezolid | MRSA & Silver | MRSA & Essential Oils | MRSA & Honey | Vancomycin | Vaccine | VRSA The Coming Threat | MRSA Antibiotics | MRSA Patient Isolation | Treatment | MRSA Drug Treatment
MRSA Prevention
MRSA and Flooring | MRSA on Hospital Equipment | MRSA Hygiene Campaigns | MRSA Hygiene Policy | MRSA Clothing Hygiene | MRSA Hand Hygiene | MRSA Education | Surface Hygiene | MRSA Skin Creams
MRSA Advocacy
Patient Action | MRSA Stories | MRSA Lawsuits | Reporting Standards | MRSA News | NHS MRSA Wales | MRSA in Eire Hospitals | NHS MRSA Scotland | NHS MRSA N Ireland | NHS MRSA England | MRSA in your town
MRSA Research
MRSA Genetic Research | MRSA and the Food Chain| MRSA & the eye | MRSA & Nutrition | MRSA Drug Resistance | MRSA Education | PVL MRSA
MRSA Political Policy
MRSA Policy - Conservatives | MRSA Policy - Labour | MRSA Policy - Liberal Democrats | MRSA Political Policy
MRSA Quick Facts
1 MRSA is a bacteria and can live outside your body. Viruses die if they can’t infect you. Bacteria will live on your skin until they find a wound to infect
2 People ask 'how long before I get ill?' It could be seconds or it could be many years. MRSA waits until you have a wound which it can compromise.3 MRSA isn’t a death sentence. 30% of the people in your town have the SA part. This can also be a problem if you or they are ill or have a wound. MRSA is a problem because there are less drugs to treat it. It isn't always more destructive than an ordinary staph infection.
4 MRSA is what many people call MERSA. It has become known as MERSA because of how news readers pronounce the the medical initials.
5 The doctors can offer you solutions. Soaps like Hibiclens clean the bacteria from your skin. Special medical nasal creams decolonise your nose, where the bacteria tend to hide. Drugs like Linezolid or Vancomycin can halt or eradicate your bloodstream infection. Some doctors are wary about the nasal cream because overuse would make it drug resistant. It would no longer be so helpful for people before surgery to combat post operative infections. You’ll probably catch it again any way within weeks if you caught it in the community.
6 Some people catch MRSA in hospital. The hospital type is resistant to many drugs. In recent times people have started to catch community strains which can be treated with more drugs. In 5-10 years these strains will be as resistant as the hospital type.
7 If a family or friend gets it don’t freak out. It is a slightly harder to treat version of the staph infection that 30% of people get. Don’t be too chilled however. It can really complicate things. Don't share household items like towels, combs etc. Wash you hands when you awake, before meals, any time you go to the toilet and last thing. These small actions will reduce the risk.
8 Will sex mean my partner gets it? Probably - skin contact is going to mean transfer. Care may be needed if partner has major health vulnerabilities or current wound. Get some Hibiclens for the whole body bacteria cleanse. It’s not foolproof but it will help. Make sure your groin and armpits are thoroughly done.
