What is MRSA?

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, is a type of bacteria, or germ. These bacteria are often called "staph." Staph bacteria can live in the nose and on the skin. One in five people has these bacteria.

In most cases, staph bacteria causes no infection. But in some people, staph can cause serious infections such as pneumonia, wound infections, and blood infections. Methicillin (meth-ih-SILL-in) is an antibiotic often used to treat staph infections. When staph are "methicillin resistant," most antibiotics cannot kill the bacteria. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus bacteria are called "MRSA" for short.

How MRSA is Transmitted

Some people can pick up and carry MRSA on their skin for weeks or months. These people do not get sick, but they have MRSA. This is called "colonization." MRSA colonization has no symptoms. Bacteria are present but do not cause an infection. The only way to check for colonization is by a test called a culture. A special cotton swab is gently rubbed on the skin or in the nose. This sample is tested for MRSA. The test results are ready in two or three days.

Who Gets MRSA

People more likely to get infected or colonized with MRSA are those who:

• Are very ill and a have weakened immune system
• Are in the hospital or other types of healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) for a long time
• Have a serious disease that harms the body's ability to fight infection
• Have taken many antibiotics

Staph and MRSA can also cause illness in persons outside of hospitals and healthcare facilities. MRSA infections that are acquired by persons who have not been recently (within the past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis, surgery, catheters) are know as Community Acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene.

Preventing the Spread of MRSA in the Hospital

People who have MRSA can spread it to other people. MRSA can also spread to objects and other surfaces in a room. Hospitals and other healthcare centers use special precautions to help prevent the spread of MRSA. Patients with MRSA are placed in isolation.

At Martin Memorial, we prevent the spread of MRSA by following these procedures:

• A "Contact Precautions" sign is placed on the patient's door to alert staff and visitors.
• The patient is required to stay in his or her room and not leave without special permission and precautions to reduce the likelihood of exposing other patients. If it is necessary for the patient to go to another part of the hospital, such as for an x-ray, he or she must first wash his or her hands and put on a gown when necessary.
• All staff and visitors may be required to wear a gown and gloves to enter the isolation room. Sometimes a mask is also needed. Staff and visitors will then remove the protective gear and wash their hands before leaving the room. This will prevent them from carrying the resistant germ out of the room.
• It is very important for everyone entering and leaving the room to wash their hands.
• The patient should also clean his or her hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand gel (if hands are not visibly soiled).
• Always clean hands immediately after touching infected skin or any item that has come in direct contact with a draining wound.
• Keep wounds that are draining covered with clean, dry, bandages.
• Personal items in a room can be contaminated, so these items are requested to be kept at minimum.

When patients with MRSA are discharged, they can return to their normal routine. It is not likely that any special precautions will be needed when they are not in the hospital. Special precautions are not necessary except under unusual circumstances, e.g., if they have a large wound. At home, good hand washing by every person in the house is very important. Home care is different than hospital care because in the hospital, taking care of several patients increases the likelihood of spreading germs.

How You Can Help Prevent the Spread of MRSA

• Wash your hands often and well.
• Ask you doctor or nurse any questions you may have. They can discuss your individual concerns with you.
• If you have MRSA, it is very important for you to tell your healthcare provider. This information will allow healthcare providers to reevaluate your status and use precautions to ensure they do not carry the germ to other patients.

Contact Us

If you have questions about MRSA, or any infection control questions, please ask your nurse or doctor, or contact Martin Memorial's Infection Control Department:

Bonnie Hannon, RN, BSN
Manager, Infection Control
Martin Memorial Health Systems
P.O. Box 9010
Stuart, FL 34995
(772) 419-2966
bhannon@mmhs-fla.org