what is MRSA and how do you catch it?

Answer 1

What is MRSA?

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a type of bacterium commonly found on the skin and/or in the noses of healthy people. Although it is usually harmless at these sites, it may occasionally get into the body (eg through breaks in the skin such as abrasions, cuts, wounds, surgical incisions or indwelling catheters) and cause infections. These infections may be mild (eg pimples or boils) or serious (eg infection of the bloodstream, bones or joints).

The treatment of infections due to Staphylococcus aureus was revolutionised in the 1940s by the introduction of the antibiotic penicillin.

Unfortunately, most strains of Staphylococcus aureus are now resistant to penicillin. This is because Staphylococcus aureus has 'learnt' to make a substance called ß-lactamase (pronounced beta-lactamase), that degrades penicillin, destroying its antibacterial activity.

Some related antibiotics, such as methicillin and flucloxacillin, are not affected by ß-lactamase and can still be used to treat many infections due to ß-lactamase-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Unfortunately, however, certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA, have now also become resistant to treatment with methicillin and flucloxacillin.

Although other types of antibiotics can still be used to treat infections caused by MRSA, these alternative drugs are usually not available in tablet form and must be administered through a drip inserted into a vein.

Who gets infection with MRSA?

MRSA infections most often occur in patients in hospitals and are rarely seen among the general public. As with ordinary strains of Staphylococcus aureus, some patients harbour MRSA on their skin or nose without harm (such patients are said to be 'colonised'), whereas other patients may develop infections.

Some patients are at increased risk of developing infection. They include those with breaks in their skin due to wounds (including those caused by surgery), indwelling catheters or burns, and those with certain types of deficiency in their immune system, such as low numbers of white cells in their blood.

When MRSA spread from an initial site of colonisation to a site where they cause infection in the same patient (eg spread from the colonised nose to a wound), the resulting infection is described as 'endogenous'.

In addition to causing endogenous infections, MRSA can spread between patients, usually by direct or indirect physical contact. For example, hospital staff attending to a colonised or infected patient may become contaminated or colonised with MRSA themselves (perhaps only briefly). They may then spread the bacteria to other patients with whom they subsequently have contact. These patients may in turn become colonised and/or infected. The spread of MRSA (or for that matter other bacteria) between patients is called cross-infection.

Some strains of MRSA that are particularly successful at spreading between patients may also spread between hospitals, presumably when colonised patients or staff move from one hospital to another. These strains are known as epidemic MRSA (or EMRSA for short).

Patients or other individuals simply colonised with MRSA may have a special antibiotic called mupirocin applied onto their skin (Bactroban) or the inside of their nose (Bactroban nasal). This helps to eliminate the MRSA and reduces the risk of the bacteria spreading either to other sites on the patient's body, where they might cause infection, or to other patients. Some strains of MRSA are, however, resistant to mupirocin.

Individuals colonised with MRSA may also wash their skin and hair with suitable disinfectants, such as chlorhexidine.

Patients with infections due to Staphylococcus aureus often need antibiotics. Infections due to normal strains of Staphylococcus aureus are often treated with flucloxacillin (eg Floxapen), but this is ineffective against MRSA. To make matters worse, MRSA are often also resistant to other types of antibiotics such as erythromycin (eg Erythroped) and ciprofloxacin (eg Ciproxin).

Although MRSA are resistant to many drugs, most remain susceptible to the antibiotics vancomycin and teicoplanin (Targocid). Infections due to MRSA are therefore often treated with one or other of these drugs. Both must be administered by infusion or injection, and for this reason, they are used for treatment only in hospitalised patients. In addition, injection of vancomycin into muscle is painful and thus not used. To overcome these problems, vancomycin must be given by slow infusion into a vein. In contrast, teicoplanin may be safely administered by injection into muscle or rapid infusion into a vein.


A very few MRSA resistant to vancomycin and/or teicoplanin have been found and there is concern that they may become more common in the future. Fortunately, new antibiotics that are active against MRSA are under investigation and should hopefully become available for clinical use in the near future.

Answer 2

mrsa is:
methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus (or staph) are bacteria that are found on the skin and in the nose of people. Staph are usually harmless, but they can sometimes cause infection and serious illness.
Some strains of staph have become resistant to the antibiotic methicillin and to other antibiotics that were used in the past to treat infections. Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are hard to treat, as most antibiotics will not kill the bacteria.
HOW DO YOU GET MRSA INFECTIONS?
You can get infected with MRSA in the community as well as in a hospital or other health care setting.
MRSA and other staph can cause infection by getting into the body through broken skin or into the blood stream. People who have health problems such as diabetes or a poor immune system—or who have broken skin due to wounds, recent surgery, or dermatitis—are more likely than others to get a staph infection.
MRSA can cause:
skin infections such as boils and impetigo (school sores); infection under the skin (cellulitis); more serious infections of the bone, blood, lungs and other parts of the body.

Answer 3

Nancy S is incorrect. MRSA, or Methicillian resistant Staphloccus Aureus is a bacteria that is found pretty much everywhere, but when given the right opportunity, such as in the elderly, it can cause major infections.

It use to just be called Staphloccus Aureus, but it is becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics. So, there is a strain that is called MRSA and an even more mean one called VRSA, vancomycin resistant.

You can get it in cuts, or get it into your lungs and if you are diabetic, elderly or infants or immunocompromised, it can cause some serious illnesses.

Answer 4

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First, I'll address MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylcoccus aureus). S. aurues is a common organism. One-third of the U.S. population carries this organism within their nares. About 1% of the U.S. population carries MRSA within their nares (roughly 3 million people), although higher carriage rates may vary with region and population base. Colonization with MRSA does not equate to infection, and colonization can be harmless. Also, there has been a delineation within the last several years between typical hospital-acquired MRSA and a newer community-acquired MRSA. The latter form has been associated with greater virulence due to certain toxins. There have been many reported cases of young healthy individuals presented with overwhelming pneumonia and sepsis due to community-acquired MRSA, but this is a minority. S. aureus is spread through contact with a person infected or colonized with the organism, although contact does not necessarily mean you will become infected or colonized. Simple hygiene (ie, handwashing) is most important to prevent transmission. Because someone else in your family has a MRSA infection, does not mean you should not go near them. Please continue to visit and associate with your family as you always have. It sounds as if many people in your family have problems with Staphylococcal infection, and you have probably been exposed numerous times over. When does MRSA cause a problem? Several host and bacterial factors determine when MRSA becomes pathogenic. Some bacterial factors include the ability to produce certain toxins. Host factors include defects in skin barrier or underlying immune suppression (such as the treatment of lupus, but not lupus itself). How do you know if your infected? What can you do? S. aureus typically causes skin and skin structure infections such as cellulitis and furunculosis (eg, boils). Other infections such as pneumonia are much less common. If you develop signs of skin inflammation, it IS important to report to your doctor about exposure to MRSA. If antibiotics are required, knowledge of exposure to MRSA can assist with prescribing appropriate empiric therapy. Lastly, if you (or your family members) experience problems with recurrent "Staph" infections, there are a few measures which may help decrease colonization (but does not guarantee elimination of colonization or prevent re-colonization). These factors include: use of mupirocin (Bactroban) ointment applied within the nares twice daily for 7 days and intermittent use of chlorhexidine soap applied to whole body during showering or bathing (at least twice a week). Other factors reported by some to help include: aggressive cleaning of clothes and bedding at the beginning of the above cycle and bleach baths (1/2 cup of bleach in a full tub of water, soak for 30 min once a week).

Answer 5

Methicillin-Resistant Staph Aureus = MRSA
It is a bacterium that causes many infections, common in hospital settings.

Answer 6

How Do You Get Mrsa

Answer 7

methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a seious highly resistant infection. It can be transmitted by contact and had a high mortalty rate for people with suppressed immune systems and can be fatal for them.

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Answer 9

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Answer 10

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