MRSA numbers are increasing, and can affect your surgery outcome. I had a healthy patient, totally uncomplicated breast reduction, who had a tiny pimple turn into a bigger wound. Why? She was MRSA positive. She had no idea, but her kids had a bout of it prior. So what can you do to prevent MRSA infections?
1. Screen. You can get a nasal culture to see if you are a carrier.
2. Sanitize. You can sanitize surfaces with alcohol. Wash your clothing.
3. Hand Washing. There is some discord over alcohol based washes versus antimicrobial soaps and washing hands with running water. Regardless, good hygiene is a good way to stop the spread of bacteria.
4. Avoid contact with anyone who has an active infection. The area needs to be covered, and avoid skin to skin contact until the infection is healed.
There is of course the more general global issue of trying to decrease the formation of drug resistant bacteria by restricting antibiotic use. There is a particular higher rate of MRSA colonization in those who have used fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The UK hospital had a strategy in the 1990s, where all patients with MRSA were isolated, and staff were screened for MRSA. They created MRSA free zones essentially. The problem was as the numbers increased, this effort was overwhelmed and failed. About 2.4% of the population is thought to carry MRSA. Most carriers have no idea they are carriers.