MRSA. What is it?
Methicillin resistant staph aureus. Staph aureus is a common bacteria found on your skin. MRSA was discovered in 1961 in the UK. It appeared in the US in 1981. It was originally found in hospitals, usually those patients who had been there for a long time on a lot of antibiotics. It is the “drug resistant” or “superbug” bacteria you hear about.
You have tons of bacteria living all over your body right now. Most of the bacteria are not harmful.
When we do surgery we create a wound in your skin. We do many things to decrease the risk of infection, but all surgeries carry the risk of infection. The issue is MRSA is resistant to the common antibiotics we use during and after surgery.
What can MRSA do? Why do I care?
MRSA effect can be small- a redness or pimple which won’t get better- to larger issues like infection of the lung, blood, or bone. Studies indicate it can lengthen hospital stays, and some indicate a higher mortality rate when bacterimic.
MRSA who gets it?
MRSA used to be considered a “hospital acquired” infection. It was rare, and only seen in those in a big hospital setting. We now we see it more commonly in the general population. Per the CDC article, community groups who are at higher risk are:
- Weak immune systems: AIDS, cancer, lupus, etc
- Diabetes
- Athletes , particularly if you share things like towels and razors
- College students living in dormitories
- Kids in day care setting
- Long term care facilities (like nursing homes)
- Military members
- Other people in confined spaces, like prison inmates
- Those who get tattoos
The reason we care is something small, like a little abrasion, can turn into something bigger like an abcess or worse if you have MRSA. MRSA is all over, including here in the Bay Area.
This is a series of blogs on MRSA. Read on for more information.