Facts about MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)
While Staphylococcus aureus can be found in one-third of healthy people, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium (germ) that can be found on the skin or in the nose of about 1% of healthy people without causing infections. Most MRSA infections involve the skin. The infection looks like a red area or pimples on the skin that may turn into a large bump that is painful and may be filled with pus.
MRSA cannot be treated by commonly used antibiotics. It can be treated with appropriate antibiotics. If it is not treated, it can lead to serious infections.
Anyone can get MRSA. Groups of infections are most common in people who live in close contact with others (such as prisoners, military recruits or daycare children) or share items that may have the bacteria on them (such as athletes sharing equipment).
MRSA spreads by person-to-person contact or by sharing items with bacteria on them such as towels, clothing and sports equipment. It can enter the body through a break in the skin.
Most MRSA skin infections heal by themselves with local care. Do not try to squeeze the pimple. MRSA skin infections are treated by removing the pus from the boil or sore by a health care provider and keeping the open area dry and covered. Antibiotics can be given if needed. Call your doctor if your skin infections do not get better after a few days.
Practicing good hygiene, especially washing your hands often with soap and water, is the best way to prevent MRSA. Keeping cuts and sores covered can also help lower your risk of getting MRSA. Athletes should shower after practices and games to reduce their risk. Personal items such as towels, razors and clothing should not be shared. Sports equipment should not be shared if possible. Mats and equipment that need to be shared should be cleaned between uses. If you have MRSA, you should avoid giving the infection to others by keeping your sore covered until it is healed and washing your hands. Family members and others with close contact to a person with MRSA should wash their hands frequently and not share personal items.
Community-Associated
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA)
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a bacteria normally found on the skin or in the nose of 20 to 30 percent of healthy individuals. When S. aureus is present without causing symptoms, it is called colonization. If symptoms are present, it is called an infection.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a strain of S. aureus that is resistant to methicillin, an antibiotic in the same class as penicillin, and is traditionally seen in people who have been recently hospitalized or who have been treated at a health care facility (such as treatment at a dialysis center).
Community-associated MRSA infections (CA-MRSA) are MRSA infections in healthy people who have not been hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis or surgery) within the past year.
Anyone can get CA-MRSA, however outbreaks have been seen among athletes, prisoners, military recruits, daycare attendees, injection drug users and other groups of people who live in crowded settings and/or routinely share contaminated items. Poor hygiene practices, such as lack of hand washing, may spread the bacteria easily.
CA-MRSA infections typically begin as skin infections. They first appear as reddened areas on the skin, or can resemble pimples that develop into skin abscesses or boils causing fever, pus, swelling, or pain.
CA-MRSA skin infections can be treated by draining any abscesses or boils and providing localized care. Antibiotics can be given if necessary. When left untreated, CA-MRSA infections can progress to serious complications. Visit your health care provider if you think you might have a MRSA infection.
Most MRSA infections are found in people who are or have recently been hospitalized. CA-MRSA is usually diagnosed when the patient has an MRSA infection and has not had surgery, dialysis, nor been admitted to a hospital or other health care facilities in the past year. CA-MRSA can also be diagnosed when a person has a MRSA infection that began too soon after admission to be acquired in the hospital.
CA-MRSA is spread in the same way as an MRSA infection, mainly through person-to-person contact or contact with a contaminated item such as a towel, clothing or athletic equipment. Bacteria that exist normally on the skin cause CA-MRSA and so it is possible to infect a pre-existing cut not protected by a dressing or other bandage.
Careful hand washing is the single most effective way to control the spread of CA-MRSA. Skin infections caused by MRSA should be covered until healed, especially to avoid spreading the infection to others. Family members and others with close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and water. Personal items that may be contaminated (towels, razors, clothing, etc.) should not be shared.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have issued recommendations for preventing the spread of MRSA among athletes. These include practicing good personal hygiene, including showering after practices and competitions and not sharing personal items such as towels. Athletes who participate in sports where equipment is often collectively used are encouraged to reduce sharing as much as possible and to regularly wipe-down equipment/mats with commercial disinfectants or a 1:100 solution of diluted bleach (one tablespoon bleach in one quart water).
Further information is available at:
Overview of Community-Associated MRSA on the CDC's Web site
CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSA/
Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) in Athletic Settings - A Guide for Coaches: Control and Prevention (PDF, 135KB, 2pg.)
Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) in Athletic Settings - A Student Guide for Control and Prevention (PDF, 154KB, 2pg.)
A similar fact sheet on general MRSA infections in health care settings is also available on the NYSDOH website.
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October 18, 2007
Dear Parent/Guardian,
As you may recently have heard, there have been several cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) reported in schools in Onondaga County. The Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD) is working with the involved schools to minimize any risk to children and to school employees. Because of the wide-spread attention to the issue, school superintendents and the OCHD feel that it is important that all families be provided with the same information about the infection and about things that you can do to prevent this infection.
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a germ (bacterium) that frequently causes skin infections. Methicillin- resistant staph aureus is a strain that is resistant to certain antibiotics. MRSA was first identified more than 40 years ago and has steadily been increasing in frequency across the country.
Staph infections are usually spread from one person to another by close skin-to-skin contact, usually through contaminated hands. Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) most commonly causes skin infections (pimple, boil, or pustule) but can sometimes also cause more significant soft tissue infections (furoncle or cellulitis). If medical treatment is indicated and an appropriate antibiotic is prescribed, almost all superficial skin infections heal. In rare cases, particularly in a person who has other medical conditions, more serious infection can occur. MRSA skin infections are usually not worse than typical staph infections in previously healthy school children. If you have any concerns about your child’s health, you should contact your health care provider.
The simplest and most important measure to prevent the spread of staph infections is to use good personal hygiene, which consists of handwashing, proper care of skin injuries and skin infections, and avoiding sharing personal items such as razors, headgear and towels. Children who do have MRSA infections should be allowed to go to school as long as they are not ill and as long as the wound can be fully covered by bandages. Environmental clean-up is rarely indicated.
We have included with this letter the New York State Department of Health CA-MRSA fact sheets. We will continue to work with school districts to investigate outbreaks and disseminate educational materiel to curb the spread of these persistent infections.
Sincerely,
Cynthia B. Morrow, MD, MPH
Commissioner
Onondaga County Health Department
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