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What is MRSA?
What is MRSA?
There are those who are hearing about MRSA for the very first
time and are wondering what it is? There are others who know
what it is because they have experienced first hand the
devastating results of its attack.
MRSA is a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA
infection. It is caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria,
which many refer to as a "Staph" infection.
Normally Staph bacteria are harmless when it stays on the
surface of your skin. It becomes harmful when it enters the
body through a wound such as a cut or open sore. Staph
infections cannot only be harmful; they can and have been
fatal.
Colonized (Carriers):
Individuals walking around with Staph bacteria on their skin or
in their nose but have no symptoms of illnesses are said to be
"colonized", but not infected with the MRSA infection.
Who it strikes:
Those who are ill, or weakened by impaired immune systems or
the elderly can become seriously ill should they come into
contact with MRSA. It does not discriminate against age, social
class or sex.
CA-MRSA is what is referred to as community acquired MRSA and
HA-MRSA is hospital acquired MRSA. The CA and HA refer to where
the Staph infection was introduced to the
patient.
It is important to determine the source of the infection to
help contain the spread of the infection to other healthy
individuals. The problem of MRSA is nothing new; the infection
has been around since the 1960s. Since then, medical personnel
and scientists have been trying to deal with infection control
measures that will stop the spread of MRSA.
It is not always possible to detect those who have the MRSA
infection if they have not developed symptoms yet. Anyone could
be a possible carrier. It is not possible to avoid contact with
everyone, so the answer is prevention. The biggest preventative
for MRSA is good hygiene, particularly handwashing. Using good
hygiene can go along way to stop the spread of MRSA.
Treatment:
Creams, lotions and antibiotics given by injection treat MRSA.
The treatment lasts 5 days. MRSA is antibiotic resistant so
finding new antibiotics that MRSA is not resistant to is vital.
This is why research funding is important.
Signs and Symptoms:
Most Staph infections, including MRSA, usually start out as
small red bumps that resemble pimples, or mosquito bites. These
"bites" then turn into deep, painful abscesses that will
require medical attention and surgical
draining.
Sometimes the bacterial will get deep into the body causing
infections that can be life-threatening in bones, joints, heart
valves and lungs.
Kim is a Registered Nurse working and living in the
UK. She has been nursing for nearly 35 years and now works as a
Back Care Advisor.
Source:
http://www.nursing-hints.com
You are welcome to use this article on your site as long as
you acknowledge the source.
by Kim Standerline - 28/12/08
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