MRSA – almost immortal bacterium?
MRSA (in full: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a bacterium that causes various infections in human body. The bacterium was discovered in 1961. Its resistance to such antibiotics as oxacillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, methicillin, etc. made this bacterium one of the toughest to treat among all strains of staphylococcus aureus.
In general, garden-variety staph can live on man’s body. A person may carry it without being infected. But when this bacterium gets into the body, a lot of problems appear. Pneumonia or infected wounds are among most serious cases.
Among common symptoms of staph skin infections it is possible to name the following: swollen, red and painful area on the skin. Some kinds of fluids may appear from the site. These symptoms usually occur when the skin was rubbed or cut.
Unfortunately, a lot of patients get MRSA bacteria in hospitals. It is possible to get infected through contacting with an infected person or with objects that carry the bacterium on their surface. Infections that were got in hospitals are usually severe. They may get into the lungs, bloodstream, urine, heart or at the site of a surgery.
Speaking about the symptoms of theses severe infection we should mention the following: cough, muscle aches, fever, rash, chills, general ill feeling, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, chest pain.
Patient is usually advised to go through certain tests, which are selected depending on the symptoms s/he has. You may need to undergo the following tests: culture from the infected site, sputum culture, blood culture, urine culture, culture of the drainage from the infection, gram stain.
What concerns the treatment of MRSA infections, fortunately, some of them still can be killed by antibiotics like linezolid or vancomycin. These two meds are often given simultaneously. Patients also receive antibiotics intravenously in case they need to treat moderate-severe infection. Community-acquired MRSA may be treated with doxycycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, however to the last one infections get resistant quite quickly.
Patients who need to treat their infection cause by MRSA bacteria should know that several doses of an antibiotic won’t kill the bacteria. Even if you feel better, do not quit the treatment, take antibiotics for the full prescribed course. If you stop the treatment too soon, bacterium may be still alive in your body, moreover, it’ll become resistant to antibiotics as the dose would be too low to kill the infection. So to get benefits from the treatment, you should strictly follow all the instructions and directions you were given by medical specialists.
To prevent is better than to cure, do you agree? So, to prevent yourself from getting MRSA bacteria you should follow certain rules. First of all, always wash your hands with soap, do this procedure thoroughly. Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also a good idea. If you have cuts, keep them clean and under the bandage. Never contact with wounds of other people. Do not share personal items like towels, soap, braces or bandages. Stay away from visiting common pools if you see there a person with an open sore.
If you have to undergo certain bathing procedures, make sure that bathing facilities are absolutely clean. If you are a care provider.
These articles can be used for informational purposes only. To get an accurate diagnosis consult your doctor!