Symptoms Of Mrsa Infection

MRSA is something we should all be concerned about. It stands for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus and is caused by the staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Although there has been a lot of attention paid to it in the media lately, MRSA is nothing new. It actually developed several decades ago and was mostly confined to hospitals. While MRSA was rare, it was also extremely dangerous. It still is, and can be fatal if left untreated. The reason we're hearing so much about MRSA and symptoms of MRSA infection is because there have been cases that have occurred in various locations around the country that were not confined to hospitals.

There are various symptoms of an MRSA infection which are are not automatically associated with MRSA. Some of the early signs include bumps on the skin that look like spider bites, boils and/or pimples. These bumps get larger and rapidly turn into abscesses which can be very painful and require surgical intervention. The bacteria which causes these abscesses may stay on the skin, or it may travel into the bloodstream. This is when MRSA becomes very serious. If the bacteria manages to make it to the bloodstream, it can worsen quickly and lead to fatal infection. The infection can spread to the vital organs such as the brain, heart and lungs which can be extremely dangerous.

Certain groups of people are more susceptible to MRSA than others and those in group homes, nursing homes and hospitals are particularly at risk. Those who share locker rooms and showers may also be at a higher risk. Individuals with weakened immune systems are also more likely to contract MRSA than those with strong immune systems. Sharing towels, working in the healthcare profession, participating in contact sports and the recent use of certain antibiotics are also potential risk factors for this bacterial infection.

If you think you may have some of the symptoms of MRSA infection you should seek medical attention immediately. Early detection and treatment is key to prevent the infection from reaching the bloodstream. Although this bacteria is resistant to antibiotics, it is not untreatable. Vancomycin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic for MRSA which has a good success rate. In milder cases the abscess may be drained and watched carefully before antibiotics are used. This is because there have been a few cases of MRSA which was resistant to vancomycin, although this is quite rare. In most cases, this antibiotic is able to clear up the infection.



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MRSA News:
Ultraviolet light - an invisible weapon against MRSA - European Hospital

Ultraviolet light - an invisible weapon against MRSA
European Hospital
During the entire trial no patients got MRSA in the trial room compared to about 50% in the control room. There could only be one explanation. .

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