(MRSA) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Who Gets MRSA?

MRSA is spread by contact. So you could get MRSA by touching another person who has it on the skin. Or you could get it by touching objects that have the bacteria on them. MRSA is carried, or "colonized," by about 1% of the population, although most of them aren't infected.

MRSA infections are common among people who have weak immune systems and are in hospitals, nursing homes, and other heath care centers. Infections can appear around surgical wounds or invasive devices, like catheters or implanted feeding tubes. Rates of infection in hospitals, especially intensive care units, are rising throughout the world. In U.S. hospitals, MRSA causes more than 60% of staph infections.

SOURCE:
www.webmd.com...

I post this thread because, my daughter just went on vacation for 5 days to arizona, while there she got this MRSA, my husband is on his way there to get her and bring her here, my question is, How cantagious is this? what are my odds of getting it if we are in the same home breathing the same air? I ask this because I have a low immune system when it comes to open soars adn MRSA causes soars. example of my concern, I got a little nick cut on my chin the edge of it two years ago, I took proper care of it but I ended up with a bacterial infection, I was able to use antibiotics and it cured quickly, but, being I have low resistance im concerned, any advice out there would be appreciated thanks

If you read the source you learn this MRSA has spread into other classes of society to healthy fit people, it has become a social deases that can easily spread and can kill if not treated and it is easily spread.

reply to post by lbndhr

Hope this helps, Its from NHS direct.UK.

Preventing community-associated MRSA
The following advice will help reduce your risk of catching or passing on MRSA outside hospital:

•Regularly wash your hands and have frequent showers or baths.
•Keep your fingernails short and clean because bacteria can grow under larger nails.
•Do not share any products that come into contact with your skin, such as soaps, lotions, creams and cosmetics.
•Do not share unwashed towels.
•Do not share any personal items that come into contact with your skin, such as razors, nail files, combs or hairbrushes, without thoroughly cleaning them first.

This is not something to be taken lightly.

I highly recommend you Isolate her immediately.

Do not, DO NOT let her leave her room.

MRSA spreads fast especially in a closed environment like a conventional home.

She should take sponge baths as to not contaminate the shower and should take them in her room.

She has to be cooked for and the toilet should be bleached after each use.

If you can, give her, her own bathroom and post a sign on it, but be sure to wear gloves and use spray bleach (can be obtained from the 99 only store) and spray everything in the bathroom before touching anything.

MRSA is a serious infection, most of the time those infections can become immune to antibiotics, making it that much harder to get rid of.

Consult a skin doctor immediately, one that specializes in skin lesions and has at least 10 years of Doc work under his belt. The more years he has been around the more comfortable you will feel, since he has likely seen MRSA before.

Usually people would go to the hospital for MRSA, and they do the exact same thing i have just said, Isolation.

If you do bring her home, which i would not recommend to do, be EXTREMELY careful.

Use some of the advice I have given you and load her up on Zinc and Vitamin C. Those are the fuels for your immune system, it will only make it stronger.

I recommend you take zinc and Vitamin C as well, they are very cheap at the 99 only store.

Hope I helped. Please be careful.

reply to post by lbndhr

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a very contagious bacterial infection, so if you know someone with the condition, you should take precautions. If you have a weakened immune system, you may want to completely avoid direct contact or always wear protective items like a face mask or gloves. For people with healthy immune systems, make sure that you're always keeping your skin clean, that you don't share items with infected persons, and that you're keeping up good hygiene habits. Avoid skin contact with infected people, particularly if you have open wounds.

Source

On a practical level too, be sure that your daughter uses separate towels and that those are kept away from yours. Keep the bathroom clean. Disposable dishes if you don't have a dishwasher might well reduce risk and worry. Her cell can be used and kept in a disposable sandwich bag for instance, as can the remote. Wishing you all the best in your situation.

Originally posted by lbndhr


Who Gets MRSA?

MRSA is spread by contact. So you could get MRSA by touching another person who has it on the skin. Or you could get it by touching objects that have the bacteria on them. MRSA is carried, or "colonized," by about 1% of the population, although most of them aren't infected.

MRSA infections are common among people who have weak immune systems and are in hospitals, nursing homes, and other heath care centers. Infections can appear around surgical wounds or invasive devices, like catheters or implanted feeding tubes. Rates of infection in hospitals, especially intensive care units, are rising throughout the world. In U.S. hospitals, MRSA causes more than 60% of staph infections.

SOURCE:
www.webmd.com...

I post this thread because, my daughter just went on vacation for 5 days to arizona, while there she got this MRSA, my husband is on his way there to get her and bring her here, my question is, How cantagious is this? what are my odds of getting it if we are in the same home breathing the same air? I ask this because I have a low immune system when it comes to open soars adn MRSA causes soars. example of my concern, I got a little nick cut on my chin the edge of it two years ago, I took proper care of it but I ended up with a bacterial infection, I was able to use antibiotics and it cured quickly, but, being I have low resistance im concerned, any advice out there would be appreciated thanks

I'm sorry your little girl got this. It can be rater annoying, and it is treatable. Like any bacterial infection there are levels of severity. Is this a single infection site like a boil or are you talking about something larger. I am an ER nurse, so I understand how, as a parent, your mind can run wild when your child is involved. The best way you can handle this is to find a good doctor and keep her pediatrician in the loop. I'm not an infectious disease nurse by any means, but I'll tell you what I can.
MRSA is a resistant strain of bacteria, which is currently known to have two strains. There is a "hospital" strain which is mainly the source of the infections you are talking about in your main post. There is also a "community" strain which behaves a little differently. It is treated by antibiotics, and when managed properly, is clearable.
MRSA is spread through contact while it is on the skin. CONTACT means anything the infected site touches is also considered infected. That can be sheets, clothing, washrags, hands, or anything else. Anything that touches the infected object, is also considered infected and should be cleaned and disinfected before being brought back into the general living space. It is only spread through droplets, or through the air like a cold or the flu, when it is in the mouth, nose, throat, airways and lungs. It is contagious. You will need to make sure to always wash your hands before and after dealing with the infection site.
Here's a good video about hanwashing and consequently about how things spread by contact.



Here is a link to the Center for Disease Control website about MRSA. www.cdc.gov...

A lot of people like to look at WebMD for their healthcare questions. Please, listen to me when I say...Don't.
I can't count the people that get on the internet, find ton's of conflicting information, and then come to the ER demanding to be treated for diseases they or their families don't have. WebMD is not a substitute for an actual doctor or a true healthcare evaluation. It is a reference tool and a learning tool to be used after you have the facts, not vice versa. I commend you on looking and thinking for yourself and making the effort, but sometimes it's safer for you and your family if you get the facts first, then build on that knowledge base instead of jumping to conclusions. When you're afraid or in a panic, you don't think clearly, and can make bad, even harmful decisions, even though you mean well.

There is a lot of good information out there, but please see a doctor first and let them suggest material to you. Go to your local pharmacy and get some rubber gloves to protect yourself while you're caring for her infection site at home, and some ALCOHOL BASED hand sanitizer. Wash your hands for at least 15 seconds and very well before and after working with the infected area. This is nothing to panic about right now. It's treatable, and totally manageable. You just have to be careful and attentive to what you're doing, and make sure you don't spread it around.

Good luck to your daughter, you and your family. I hope she feels better soon, and remember. WebMD is NOT a real doctor. That's just some people building a webpage. Also, not everything you read on the internet is true. Call your doctor first.

reply to post by lbndhr


That sucks....basically you and your family are now blacklisted and never again will going to a doctor be easy for you.

You will be denied surgeries.
You will be ridiculed in medical community.
There will be a day when you will not be allowed to be in public.

This infection is no joke and only getting worse. I know people in Public Health who say this is one of the greatest threats to our health

I would look into getting an ozone machine. A good one. You can find one on ebay for about $150 . The kind in a hard wood box with ozone plates . Run it every day on a LOW setting. It kills bacteria including mrsa. They use these to sterilize operating rooms . If you ue in on sterilize setting, make sure there are no pets in the house, and leave the house yourself. Run it that way on high for 20 min. Turn it off then leave the house again for 30 min until the O3 turns back to O2.

I run mine every day on low for about a half hour.

The hospitals here in AZ do have MRSA pretty bad. The older facilities are worse , I think they do not use the proper protocols for cleaning and disinfecting.

reply to post by lbndhr


My husband contracted MRSA back in 1998, WAY before it was so prevalent. He shook hands with a man who had a large 'spider bite' on his face. Jason had shaved that morning and had a few raw spots, and when he smoked a cigarette after shaking hands with the infected man, he spread the germs to the open wounds on his chin.

Up until just a coupla years ago, here in the south, doctors were still telling people that the large boils were 'spider bites'. They would lance the boils , effectively spreading the bacteria and releasing it into the blood stream of the infected person. DISASTER!!!

DO NOT let any doctor lance or otherwise drain those boils!! That is the worst possible action to take here. We got extremely lucky that there was an infectious diseases specialist just 50 miles from us who was friend of my sister;s husband. He immediately knew what he was looking at and started Jason on a course of Rifampin nasal gel and Cipro by mouth. The MRSA bugs are able to stay alive in the recesses of the nasal passages and re-infect the carrier if not killed off there first.

The man who passed the MRSA on to Jason would not see Dr. LaRocca and kept going to the charity hospital in Shreveport. They lanced and packed his boils, which were on his face and neck and caused him to have major deformation and unimaginable pain an suffering for several years. He was VERY sick for a long time.

When Jason was infected, we had two small children in the house. Neither I nor my children ever got infected. I was careful to never handle his boils, and regularly used products like Lysol to clean the tub, shower, toilet, etc.. Anywhere I was afraid that bodily fluids could be found.

If you are careful, the other members of your household should be fine, unless someone has a disease that
compromises their immune system!

ETA: I believe that the same Dr. LaRocca that was here in LA is now at the CDC in Atlanta, GA. You could possibly contact him for help!

Originally posted by Quickfix
This is not something to be taken lightly.

I highly recommend you Isolate her immediately.

Do not, DO NOT let her leave her room.

MRSA spreads fast especially in a closed environment like a conventional home.

She should take sponge baths as to not contaminate the shower and should take them in her room.

She has to be cooked for and the toilet should be bleached after each use.

If you can, give her, her own bathroom and post a sign on it, but be sure to wear gloves and use spray bleach (can be obtained from the 99 only store) and spray everything in the bathroom before touching anything.

MRSA is a serious infection, most of the time those infections can become immune to antibiotics, making it that much harder to get rid of.

Consult a skin doctor immediately, one that specializes in skin lesions and has at least 10 years of Doc work under his belt. The more years he has been around the more comfortable you will feel, since he has likely seen MRSA before.

Usually people would go to the hospital for MRSA, and they do the exact same thing i have just said, Isolation.

If you do bring her home, which i would not recommend to do, be EXTREMELY careful.

Use some of the advice I have given you and load her up on Zinc and Vitamin C. Those are the fuels for your immune system, it will only make it stronger.

I recommend you take zinc and Vitamin C as well, they are very cheap at the 99 only store.

Hope I helped. Please be careful.

What in the world? You are going to terrify this poor woman and her family. She doesn't have to be completely locked away and isolated from the rest of the world. She has a skin infection, she's not a bioweapon. Yes, it shouldn't be taken lightly, but nothing health related should be. As long as she knows what she's dealing with and gets the facts, they'll be fine. These things are managed at home all the time. The only reason she would have to be kept in the hospital is if her doctor decided the infection is to the point it would require IV antibiotics. It sounds to me like you're posting more out of fear and panic than fact. She needs to get her child to see a doctor and let them determine the severity of the infection. Like I said...don't jump to conclusions and get the facts first. This is a prime example...

Here is a bunch of information for you

www.abovetopsecret.com...

It a very serious thing. It has affected two people I know. My neice when she was 2 got a hangnail on her big toe. With in 24 hours her big toe was black and spreading up her foot and she was rushed to Childrens mercy totaly lethargic. Was there for a week with IVs pumping meds into her. Here recently my sons best friend became sick and that turned into a staph infection in his lungs. Unfortunatly, when that happens, the infection spreads through the entire body hitting all organs. 6 weeks later and a lot of surgeries and close calls, he is out of the hospital and doing well. Not 100% but doing well. Unfortunatly the whole ordiel exceded $1mil They were lower middle class to begin with. Luckly though had insurance. I feel sorry for those who do not have insurance. A lot of people have lost their jobs and/or had to settle for little jobs barly scraping by. This MRSA is constantly changing so finding drugs to combat it becoms more and more tricky.

Washing with andtibacterial, changing sheets once a week, and other typical hygene helps. But, in the end, it is always on your skin just waiting for you to get a scratch or a hangnail.

Oh and word to the wise, I know of two women recently who developed staph infections under thier fake nails. Theirs didnt turn into a hospital stay, only several local shots, and iv antibiotics in the er. But their thumbs had to stay bandaged up because it took days for it to drain.

Anyway, that link should help you out. There is A LOT of information there.

I caught super staph (different type of MRSA) at my former job and had it for over 2 years. All antibiotics did not cure it, only made it stronger. Beware of this type of staph.

I went holistic on it's ass. I treated it by ingesting Turmeric in warm water, bicarbonate sodas weekly, and using Tea tree oil topically. It doesn't cure it but it reduces the affects of it dramatically.

If you really want to K.O. super staphs and MRSA, use COLLOIDAL SILVER.
- 2 glasses daily for about 2-3 weeks straight, while still doing the Turmeric and baking soda, will destroy the staph infection. The silver is taken like any antibiotic, even when you think the infection is gone you should still take it for the full time period of 3 weeks. It worked for me after trying everything for 2 years. Wish I used colloidal silver on it sooner.

reply to post by BioStatistic


I agree with you! Treat the infection in the correct way, but don't treat the patient as a pariah! See my above post : Rifampin nasal gel and Cipro by mouth!!

Originally posted by jennybee35
reply to post by BioStatistic

 

I agree with you! Treat the infection in the correct way, but don't treat the patient as a pariah! See my above post : Rifampin nasal gel and Cipro by mouth!!

Rifampin is used to treat tuberculosis

reply to post by BioStatistic


It is also used to kill the MRSA in the nose. I know how well it works........

Treatment of Staphylococcus Aureus Infections

Amoxycillin; Cefazolin, Cephalexin, Cephalotin; Ciprofloxacin; Clindamycin; Cloxacillin; Daptomycin; Dicloxacillin; Erythromycin (only for minor skin infections, since it is only bacteriostatic) Flucloxacillin (side effect: hepatic cholestasis); Linezolid (C); Methycillin (common adv. effects: hypersensitivity, interstitial nephritis); Minocycline (D); Mupirocin; Nafcillin; Oxacillin; Quinupristin/dalfopristin (Synercid) (C); Penicillin G (Benzylpenicillin), Penicilin V (Phenoxymethylpenicillin); Retapamulin; Rifampin (C); Tigecycline (D); Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (C); Vancomycin.

staph treatment

Originally posted by jennybee35
reply to post by BioStatistic

 

It is also used to kill the MRSA in the nose. I know how well it works........

Treatment of Staphylococcus Aureus Infections

Amoxycillin; Cefazolin, Cephalexin, Cephalotin; Ciprofloxacin; Clindamycin; Cloxacillin; Daptomycin; Dicloxacillin; Erythromycin (only for minor skin infections, since it is only bacteriostatic) Flucloxacillin (side effect: hepatic cholestasis); Linezolid (C); Methycillin (common adv. effects: hypersensitivity, interstitial nephritis); Minocycline (D); Mupirocin; Nafcillin; Oxacillin; Quinupristin/dalfopristin (Synercid) (C); Penicillin G (Benzylpenicillin), Penicilin V (Phenoxymethylpenicillin); Retapamulin; Rifampin (C); Tigecycline (D); Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (C); Vancomycin.

staph treatment

edit on 12/4/11 by jennybee35 because: (no reason given)

I'm not saying you're lying, but here are the facts. This is from a .gov site and here's the link. www.ndhealth.gov...

Vancomycin continues to be the drug of choice for treating most MRSA infections caused by multi-drug resistant strains. Clindamycin, co-trimoxazole, fluoroquinolones or minocycline may be useful when patients do not have life-threatening infections caused by strains susceptible to these agents. For serious infections caused by strains that are susceptible to rifampin, adding this agent to vancomycin or fluoroquinolone may contribute to improved outcomes. Rifampin should not be used alone to treat MRSA infections due to the rapid development of resistance. The infecting strain always should be tested for susceptibility prior to initiating any of these therapies

reply to post by BioStatistic


I see. Well, Jason's infection did take place in 1998, a decade before the MRSA became so prevalent. Rifampin has obviously become one of the drugs that MRSA has learned to overcome in some cases. It happens, bacteria is amazing. It learns to and adapts, finding ways to defeat the antibiotics. It's a shame that people are still wiling to let dr.s prescribe antibiotics for every hangnail.

Nothing like creating a few more Super-Bugs......

I would recommend what **BioStatistic says.
I work in Trauma Critical-Care and she is correct.
Your daughter will need to be placed in isolation at home and an immediate followup appointment needs to be set with your primary physician.

Of the two (2) forms, hospital born is the most worrisome. keep her area and anyone that is taking care of her clean. Using common sense precautions in this should have a positive outcome.

Clean, clean, clean.

Best wishes for a happy holiday

This product here is excellent against staph infections and MRSA.

It's called Immunity Shots and produced by California Naturals.
www.californianatural.net...

It's an oil mixture that you rub directly on the infected area.

I haven't seen the data on it, but I've heard from multiple sources they're using garlic poultices in Europe on MRSA with fantastic results.

We've known for a long time garlic has insane antibiotic properties. I've heard honey does as well. Those might be worth looking into as natural treatments also.