The effects of super-bugs aren't something that are commonly discussed at family dinners and high school football games. Despite this, more doctors are encouraging people to do just that as they continue their battle against these illnesses. One good example of this is in regards to methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which has been featured in many recent news articles in order to warn large populations of people about the importance of keeping it under control. Since it isn't easy to understand the complexities of a type of bacteria like this without a vast knowledge of the workings of microbiology, it is still being spread though, especially in hospitals and schools. This is dangerous because of the difficulty that doctors are having in treating it. So, in order to help break down the information in layman's terms, this article will offer some easy-to-understand answers to the most common questions that people have about MRSA.
1. What is MRSA?
A: MRSA is a type of bacteria that is commonly found on the skin and inside the nostrils of the nose. It gets its name because, unlike other types of staphylococcus aureus bacteria, it isn't easily treated with common antibiotics. MRSA bacteria is different because it can survive inside the body too, which means that it can make a person sick very quickly if they don't get medical help in time.
2. What does a case of MRSA look like on the body?
A: Since staphylococcus aureus bacteria is already present on the surface of the skin, that is where it is the most easily identified on a person. So MRSA begins whenever the bacteria spread into a wound that isn't cleaned properly. It usually starts out as a slightly raised red area, which swells and fills up with pus. Then, the skin around the wound site will start to break down, which results in an open ulcer.
3. Is there more than one type of MRSA?
A: There are two basic types of MRSA to know about. The first type is called hospital acquired methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA). It is found in patients who have a lengthy stay in a hospital, nursing home, or other type of medical facility. The second type is called community acquired methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). It is different because it most commonly occurs in colleges, sports centers, and areas where a population of people have to live in an unhygienic environment.
4. How did staphylococcus aureus become resistant to antibiotics?
A: Staphylococcus aureus bacteria wasn't always resistant to antibiotics. Over time, it adapted to become that way because of the overuse of antibiotics though. Whenever patients would come down with a simple cold, wound, or other minor injury that their body could normally heal on its own, doctors still handed out unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics. This caused people to struggle with building up a strong immune system that could fight against the bacteria.
5. Why is MRSA dangerous?
A: MRSA is dangerous because those who have poorly functioning immune systems can't fight it off. This causes it to worsen and spread throughout the body, which can result in death. On top of this, the pus from a wound with this type of infection is filled with the bacteria during at least the first ten days that a person has it. This makes it highly contagious to anyone who gets the pus on their skin from physical contact with the infected person. That is one reason why doctors urge those who have a MRSA infection to wash their hands frequently and keep their wounds covered with bandages at all times.
6. Are there any treatment methods that can help cure MRSA?
A: There are still a few strong antibiotics available that can help treat a MRSA infection. However, if they aren't working on a patient, other non-antibiotic methods may have to be used to help heal it. For example, the infected skin around the wound might have to be removed surgically. Or a doctor may just drain the pus from the wound and have the patient clean it frequently at home using special antibacterial agents.