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Health Matters

MRSA Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a common organism known to cause skin infections that can usually be treated successfully with antimicrobial drugs.

This was before the over-prescribing or repeated prescribing of antibiotics for what could be described as simple skin infections. Then came along the new kid on the block: methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) – an infectious organism that has become resistant to most antibiotics and is extremely difficult to treat.
A study done by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2001 estimated that as many as 2.3 million people in the U.S. carry MRSA organisms in their nasal passages. In the beginning, MRSA was found primarily in the hospital setting (HC-MRSA) and was associated with prolonged hospitalization, especially ICU, prior antibiotic therapy, being over the age of 60 and female.

However, more recently a new form has been described as community-acquired (CA-MRSA) and is found in healthy individuals in the community, who may not be affected but are carriers of the organism. CA-MRSA isolates usually have different molecular and antimicrobial susceptibility characteristics from HA- MRSA and are usually not associated with the traditional risk factors.

This form of Staphylococus infection can occur at any age (particularly children), in all races and geographic locations. The majority of infections caused by CA-MRSA are of the skin or soft tissue in susceptible people. Outbreaks have been reported among athletes, inmates, soldiers and children in schools and day care centers. Transmission factors associated with outbreaks include crowding, frequent skin-to-skin contacts, compromised skin, contaminated surfaces, shared items, uncleanliness and overuse of antibiotics.
As if there weren’t already enough reasons to be worried about MRSA, this troublesome organism is now turning up in the pet populations and appears to be able to move readily between animals and humans in both directions. CA-MRSA resides in the nasal mucus membranes without necessarily causing infection. Sick horses, cats, dogs and hamsters have been identified as having the same strain of MRSA as their owners/handlers.

The Centers for Disease Control have suggested strategies for preventing transmission including effective diagnoses and treatment of infections; strict infection control practices; avoidance of patient to patient contact; education regarding wound care and containment; effective hand washing, liquid soap instead of bar soap and/or alcohol base hand rubs; keeping cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed; bleach solution to clean public areas between users; limited use of shared items and skin-to-skin contact activities.

As a general rule, clinicians need to know the status of household pets and in all cases animals should be treated at the first indication that they are sick or have skin lesions. By the same token, human skin infections that do not heal quickly and appear infected should be properly managed by a clinician.

Most importantly, wash your hands frequently!