Morristown Hamblen High School – East
MRSA Information Sheet
What is MRSA?
· Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.
· MRSA is a type of infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus (Staph).
· Some strains of Staph are resistant to antibiotics used to treat the infections such as methicillin and thus are called Methicillin-Resistant Staph aureus.
· MRSA used to infect people who had chronic illnesses, but now it is becoming more common in healthy people.
· The first reported case of MRSA was in 1968.
· The disease was confined to hospitals and nursing homes for many years.
· The first published report of a case in athletics was in 1998.
How is MRSA spread?
· “Colonization means that the organism is present in or on the body but is not causing illness.”
· In some settings like prisons, the cases of MRSA have been as high as 55-80%.
· One study found that in community settings cases have been lower with colonization rates of 0.3-2.8% and skin and soft tissue infection rates were up to 12%.
· Athletic facilities, which are warm and humid, provide the ideal environment for bacteria to thrive.
· Athletes become more vulnerable as their immune system temporarily lowers after a hard workout
MRSA Infections
· Infections caused by Staph or MRSA are usually mild, are limited to the surface of the skin, and can be properly treated with good hygiene and antibiotics.
· If the infection is left untreated or is not recognized early it can be hard to treat and could progress into a life-threatening blood or bone infection.
· It could also lead to pneumonia and surgical wound infections.
· The most common form of MRSA is skin infections such as abscesses and boils.
· The area that is infected starts out as a small bump like a pimple or spider bite and becomes redder and can begin to drain pus.
· The infection occurs in areas like the armpits, groin, neck, and butt because Staph colonizes and thrives here.
· A few months after the skin infection, fever, muscular pain, and/or fatigue can occur.
· Some studies found that over 50% of all skin infections seen by doctors in some parts of the United States are MRSA infections.
How is MRSA diagnosed?
· MRSA is difficult to identify, easily misdiagnosed, and not always seen as a major threat.
· Frequently, MRSA is initially diagnosed as a spider bite.
· MRSA is diagnosed by taking a sample of the infection and allowing it to grow.
· After the Staph has grown, a variety of antibiotics are tested to see if they will treat the infection.
Treatment for MRSA
· Vancomycin is the recommended treatment for severe MRSA and is used only intravenously because the oral form does not absorb from the gastrointestinal tract.
· Linezolid (Zyvox) has bacteriostatic activity against Staph and is used to treat skin and soft-tissue infections.
· Draining the abscesses is often sufficient treatment for local skin MRSA infections.
· People colonized with MRSA may use a special antibiotic called mupirocin on their skin, which is called Bactroban or inside their nose, called Bactroban nasal.
· This antibiotic helps to eliminate the MRSA and reduces the risk of the bacteria spreading either to other sites on the body or to other people.
· However, some strains of MRSA are resistant to mupirocin.
Prevention and Management of Community-Associated MRSA(CA-MRSA)
· Keep hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and warm water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer routinely.
· Encourage immediate showering following activity.
· Avoid whirlpools or common tubs when an athlete has open wounds, scrapes, or scratches.
· Avoid sharing of towels, razors, or daily athletic gear.
· Properly wash athletic gear and towels after each use.
· Utilize disposable towels during all athletic events.
· Maintain clean facilities and equipment.
· Refer to appropriate healthcare personnel all active skin lesions and lesions that do not respond to initial therapy.
· Administer or seek proper first aid.
· Encourage healthcare personnel to seek bacterial cultures to establish a diagnosis.
· Care for and cover skin lesions appropriately before participation.