|
 |
Community acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
What is staphylococcus aureus?
Staphylococcus aureus (staph) are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes staph can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of the infections manifest as pimples and boils and may be treated successfully without antibiotics. However, serious infections of surgical wounds,
pneumonia, and bloodstream infections may occur.
What is MRSA?
Some staph bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to a group of antibiotics that include amoxicillin, penicillin, methicillan, oxacillin, and others.
When MRSA causes illness in people outside of the hospital, it is called community acquired MRSA. These infections are usually manifested as skin infections and occur in otherwise healthy people. Community acquired MRSA is becoming more common in the community setting.
What does a staph or MRSA infection look like?
The infection may look like a pimple or boil with redness, swelling, pain, or a pus- like drainage. More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or infections of surgical sites or other wounds.
People at Risk for MRSA:
The CDC has investigated multiple cases of community acquired MRSA skin infections among athletes, military recruits, children, Pacific Islanders, Alaskan Natives, Native Americans, and prisoners. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA are:
1. skin-to-skin contact
2. openings in the skin (cuts, abrasions)
3. contaminated items and surfaces
4. crowded living conditions
5. poor hygiene
Preventing MRSA infections
The best way to prevent MRSA infections is to practice good hygiene:
1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after touching items or equipment in public places (gyms, shopping carts, amusement parks, etc) and after skin-to-skin contact with others.
2. Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
3. Avoid contact with other peoples’ wounds or bandages.
4. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.
5. Use a skin barrier between your skin and shared equipment.
6. Wipe the surfaces of equipment before and after use with an antibacterial cleansing solution.
What should I do if I think I have MRSA?
See your healthcare provider. Most MRSA and staph infections are treatable with antibiotics. If you are given an antibiotic, take all doses until the medicine is gone, even if the infection appears to get better unless your physician tells you to stop taking it. Do not share antibiotics with others or save unfinished prescriptions to use at another time.
It is possible to have a staph or MRSA infection return after it is cured. To prevent this from happening, follow your healthcare provider’s instructions and follow the prevention steps after the infection is gone.
Information obtained from www.cdc.gov
|
|
| Contact Information |
Citrus Valley Medical Center – Inter-Community Campus
210 W. San Bernardino Road
Covina, CA 91723
Phone: (626) 331-7331
Citrus Valley Medical Center – Queen of the Valley Campus
1115 S. Sunset Ave.
West Covina, CA 91790
Phone: (626) 962-4011
Foothill Presbyterian Hospital
250 S. Grand Ave.
Glendora, CA 91741
Phone: (626) 963-8411
Citrus Valley Hospice
820 N. Phillips Ave.
West Covina, CA 91791
Phone: (626) 859-2263
Citrus Valley Home Health
820 N. Phillips Ave.
West Covina, CA 91791
Phone: (626) 859-2263
|
|
 |
|
 |