The Cockroach of Infections: Staphylococcus Aureus

Published Nov. 27, 2007
366th Aeromedical-Dental Squadron Public Health office

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA has gained a lot of attention in the media recently both locally and nationally.

MRSA is a type of common bacteria that has become resistant to certain antibiotics. This means that when someone gets an infection from the bacteria, the infection may be more difficult to treat. Most MRSA infections are skin infections which may look like a boil or pustule. They are often red and painful. Most of these infections can be effectively treated using proper wound care, but in some cases antibiotics are needed. Occasionally, MRSA can get into other parts of your body like your lungs, causing pneumonia, or in your bloodstream, causing more serious infections. These types of infections are very rare in healthy people.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control recently called MRSA "the cockroach of bacteria", implying it is like a pest that can live a lot of places, but not something that needs to cause widespread panic. Simple and standard precautions are generally effective in preventing the spread of MRSA infections.

Like many other bacteria, MRSA spreads either by direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected sore or through the sharing of items such as bandages or clothing which have touched the infected area. Protection from MRSA is relatively simple.

· Personal hygiene is the best prevention measure against MRSA. This includes handwashing with soap and water or use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and showering, especially after exercise. This is particularly important if you or your child takes part in sports where skin to skin contact occurs, such as basketball or wrestling.
· Don't share items that touch your bare skin, such as towels or razors.
· When using exercise equipment, put down a towel so that your bare skin is not in contact with the machine or bench.
· If you have cuts or scrapes, cover them with a bandage until they are healed.
· Regularly clean and disinfect commonly touched areas, such as door knobs, phones, desk areas and bathrooms.

As the old adage goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Using the above tips will help to not only reduce your chances of getting an MRSA infection, but if you do have one it will help to prevent the spread of the bacteria to others.

The bottom line is that while MRSA may be a problem, it should not be a cause for panic. If you or your child has a skin infection that doesn't begin to heal on its own within a couple of days and is accompanied by red streaks or fever, you should get it examined by a medical provider.

For more information about MRSA in schools, please go to: www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAInSchools/ , call Public Health at 828-7280, or talk to your medical provider.

The Cockroach of Infections: Staphylococcus Aureus

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