Prevention best defense against staph
Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a common bacteria carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Approximately 25 to 35 percent of the population is colonized. Colonized means the bacteria is present, but does not cause infection in that person. Many of these staph are sensitive to multiple antibiotics.
Some staph bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics. MRSA (which stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph aureus) is a type of staph that is resistant to many antibiotics. While 25 to 35 percent of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1 percent is colonized with MRSA. The only way to tell if a bacteria is staph and if it is MRSA is to culture it in a lab, although they are developing some rapid testing methods.
There are two different types of MRSA. The first is found mostly in nursing homes and hospitals and primarily affects those with weakened immune systems. The other is Community Associated staph or CA-MRSA and it can cause skin infections among the general population. Sometimes the individual does not know where they acquired the staph infection, however, you will not get it by simply sitting in the same room as a person with MRSA since it does not travel by air.
Infection Appearance:
Staph bacteria including MRSA cause skin infections that are red, swollen and painful and may drain pus. They look like a large pimple or boil, but may be mistaken for a spider bite. These infections can usually be treated with drainage and/or oral antibiotics. More serious infections occur when the bacteria enters other body systems. When this happens MRSA may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections or surgical wound infections.
Prevention:
* Keeping your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; in both cases, rubbing the hands together vigorously and drying is important.
* Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed especially when you are out in public.
* Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
* Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors. In the health club you should take the time to wipe down the surface of equipment before and after use with a sanitizing cloth.
* Avoid the overuse of antibiotics and if they are prescribed, avoid stopping them early or missing doses.
Treatment:
Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with select antibiotics. Many staph skin infections may be treated by draining the abscess and may not require antibiotics. If you live with someone who gets the same infection tell them to go to
Some staph bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics. MRSA (which stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph aureus) is a type of staph that is resistant to many antibiotics. While 25 to 35 percent of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1 percent is colonized with MRSA. The only way to tell if a bacteria is staph and if it is MRSA is to culture it in a lab, although they are developing some rapid testing methods.
There are two different types of MRSA. The first is found mostly in nursing homes and hospitals and primarily affects those with weakened immune systems. The other is Community Associated staph or CA-MRSA and it can cause skin infections among the general population. Sometimes the individual does not know where they acquired the staph infection, however, you will not get it by simply sitting in the same room as a person with MRSA since it does not travel by air.
Infection Appearance:
Staph bacteria including MRSA cause skin infections that are red, swollen and painful and may drain pus. They look like a large pimple or boil, but may be mistaken for a spider bite. These infections can usually be treated with drainage and/or oral antibiotics. More serious infections occur when the bacteria enters other body systems. When this happens MRSA may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections or surgical wound infections.
Prevention:
* Keeping your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; in both cases, rubbing the hands together vigorously and drying is important.
* Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed especially when you are out in public.
* Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
* Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors. In the health club you should take the time to wipe down the surface of equipment before and after use with a sanitizing cloth.
* Avoid the overuse of antibiotics and if they are prescribed, avoid stopping them early or missing doses.
Treatment:
Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with select antibiotics. Many staph skin infections may be treated by draining the abscess and may not require antibiotics. If you live with someone who gets the same infection tell them to go to
Tags: bloodstream infections, common bacteria, community associated staph, Mehicillin resistant staph aureus, MRSA, staph, staphylococcus aureus, surgical wound infections
