Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections

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Such fun here in Norther Virginia. Being Aspie, I don't have physical contact with other people, so I am less likely to get infected. Yay!

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The health dept has forwarded the information below regarding MRSA. We do have confirmed cases of MRSA in the County as in most of the surrounding Counties. As you will read below MRSA is common, similar to the regular flu season or the spreading of a cold virus. Please read below to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and cleaning precautions that will not only kill MRSA, but will also reduce your chances of catching the flu and colds. Lysol Kitchen cleaner and Spray Nine are two disinfectants that are on the CDC list of approved disinfectants that are available in stores. Bleach and water will also work but are only good for 24 hours after mixing.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections: MRSA Facts

Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) infections have been around for a long time, causing mild to severe illness. MRSA is a kind of staph infection that may be more difficult to treat but is otherwise the same as a “staph infection”. Mild infections may look like a pimple or boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or surgical wound infections.

Staph is passed from person to person through direct contact with skin or through contact with contaminated items. The bacteria may live in people’s noses and on their skin and most of the time do not cause any problem. Staph can enter the body through breaks in the skin and sometimes cause infection. The main ways to prevent staph infection are to wash hands and care for wounds properly.

Practical Advice

Observe families for open wounds. If any are draining or contain pus see a doctor. Encourage hand washing before eating and after toileting.
Coaches should ensure that athletes wash their hands, cover their wounds, and not share personal items and towels.

Clean wounds and cover them with a clean, dry bandage. Wounds that do not heal properly need medical attention. The only way to determine if an infection is caused by MRSA is through laboratory testing ordered by a physician or other health care provider. Teach children to wash their hands regularly, such as before eating and after toileting. See http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiolog ... poster.pdf for a poster on hand washing. Be sure your family members use antibiotics properly. Take all that are prescribed, even if the symptoms stop before the prescription is used up. Do not share prescriptions.

Children who participate in sporting events should wash their hands after each practice and game. They should not share equipment, uniforms, towels, or other personal items (e.g., razors). Wash uniforms and towels with hot water and detergent after each use.

Disinfection

In athletics, mats, benches or other shared athletic equipment that might have skin contact should be disinfected after each game or practice. In public meeting places surfaces that multiple people contact should also be disinfected regurlarly.

Contaminated surfaces may be cleaned using an EPA-registered cleaner or bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water).Routine cleaning is all that is recommended. Because the bacteria live on the skin, they may be reintroduced into any environment at any time. Therefore, hand washing and wound care remain the primary means of preventing staph infections.

Further information about MRSA can be found on the VDH Web site, www.vdh.virginia.gov, and direct links to information on MRSA are posted on the VDOE home page

good info.

People should also remember to wash hands carefully when they've visited a hospital, as MRSA is most prevelant there.

And don't ask your doctor for antibiotics when you have a viral inffection.

I've asked doctors if they've heard of MRSA infections in their hospitals and most of them are ignorant of it.

Even among doctors nobody seems to know about MRSA.

I worked home healthcare and we had a resident with MRSA due to constant hospital stays and cathings.Everytime he returned from the hospital for some illness Ihe would get a new illness...usually anitbiotic resistant Pnemonia(which is what eventually killed him).Hospitals scare me.I would love to work in medicine by my paranoia about hospitals makes it impossible.

Another related issue os the over use of antibacterial soaps and other such products.We are actually killing our own ammune functions by the over use of these things and create more resistant strains of bacteria.....plan soap,water and friction will work as well.I wih people would focus more on the chemical toxins in our products and foods and less on the "germs".The latter has always been here and always will but the chemicals are what are killing our immune functions to fight them.(leaps off soap box).

I agree.Here is another "theory" that would likely get me locked up as a tin-foil hat wearing schizophrenic.....

It wouldnt be a far jump to consider the "possibility" that our government would actually like to keep humans "stuipid" and emotionally reactive...makes them more compliant and better consumers(it's patriotic to buy,dont ya know )So it makes sense that they would like to create a breed of "droids" to do the service work that has replaced factory work as our countries largest job force.(having out-sourced just about everything else.

But what if(and this is just a theory,mind you)there was a country...lets say China(randomly chosen )that wants to "take over the world and defeat the evil "american empire".Wouldnt it be in their best interest to slowly poisen them with lead laden toys and toxic food that will make Americans ill(putting a strain on their medical system and costing billions and less productive labor force?)
I mean what would be more effective....attacking with a physical force of soldiers,or just slowly poisening the citizens with the cheap products they can's see to live with out by creating an idustrial empire so that they have no alternative but to keep importing products(sonce they have exported their own factories.

Just another crazy aspie thought......

Hm, there was a staph infection scare in my state too. I have nothing to worry about, because I always take good care of my wounds.

they are long words it must be scary

There has been MRSA around for quite a while, and when I worked at the jail we had more than a few inmates that caught it--- IV antibiotics were then needed to clear it up, and some of them got really sick ( one guy lost a foot a coupla years ago!). And there were still the regular Staph infections, too. But the media doesn't care about the epidemics in the correctional settings because those are criminals. Most people think they deserve it ( even though in our country a person is technically innocent until proven guilty) and no one would ever think about closing down a jail due to a wave of MRSA.
But you get some schoolkids sick with this bug and all of a sudden we have a terrible epidemic on our hands that must be dealt with immediately. Staph ( regular and MRSA) have been regulars in hospitals, nursing homes and jails for much longer than the media has been interested in reporting about it. So no use getting worried now--- just try to avoid it. Good hygeine, handwashing, covering of wounds and prompt treatment of any suspected infection, folks.
FYI, many people are CARRIERS of staph without showing any signs of illness but are capable of transmitting it--- quite a few health care workers fit that bill because they have more contact with sick people. So tell your doctor/nurse to please wash their hands before they examine you. It just might save your life!