INFORMATION on MRSA

Here is some information from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) regarding MRSA, which may help you better understand the disease.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph that is resistant to certain antibiotics. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.

While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.

Staph and MRSA can cause illness in persons outside of hospitals and healthcare facilities. MRSA infections that are acquired by persons who have not been recently (within the past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis, surgery, catheters) are know as CA-MRSA infections. Staph or MRSA infections in the community are usually manifested as skin infections, such as pimples and boils, and occur in otherwise healthy people.

Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infection in the United States and are a common cause of pneumonia, surgical wound infections, and bloodstream infections. The majority of MRSA infections occur among patients in hospitals or other healthcare settings; however, it is becoming more common in the community setting. Data from a prospective study in 2003, suggests that 12% of clinical MRSA infections are community-associated, but this varies by geographic region and population.

While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.

Staph bacteria, including MRSA, can cause skin infections that may look like a pimple or boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or surgical wound infections.

Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include: close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene.

Practice good hygiene:

1. Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
3. Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
4. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.

See your healthcare provider. A culture can confirm that it is or is not MRSA.

Yes. Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with antibiotics. If you are given an antibiotic by your healthcare provider, take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better, unless your doctor tells you to stop taking it. Do not share antibiotics with other people or save unfinished antibiotics to use at another time.

You can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by following these steps:

1. Cover your wound. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.
2. Clean your hands. You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound.
3. Do not share personal items. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, clothing, or uniforms that may have had contact with the infected wound or bandage. Wash sheets, towels, and clothes that become soiled with water and laundry detergent. Drying clothes in a hot dryer, rather than air-drying, also helps kill bacteria in clothes.
4. Surfaces can be cleaned with 1:10 chlorine bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water; that would be 1 2/3 cups of bleach to 1 gallon of water.)
5. Tell your doctor/healthcare provider. Tell any healthcare providers who treat you that you have or had a staph or MRSA skin infection.

Please remember- in order to provide a safe environment for the students and staff of Pinellas County Schools-

• Please contact your school and school nurse (who will contact Health Services) with any confirmed or suspected cases of MRSA.
   
• Any student or staff member with a suspicious skin lesion/sore that appears infected should be recommended to see their physician/healthcare provider. They may return to school with the written recommendation of the healthcare provider. Wounds must be covered at all times while in school and have no drainage through bandage. 

If you have any additional questions, please see http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools/

Or you may call School Health Services at 588-6320.