Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA)

There are several important steps in preventing the spread of MRSA: washing hands before and after patient contact, using gloves appropriately, covering any cuts on the hands, maintaining healthy hands, avoiding overcrowding in hospital departments, maintaining a clean environment, and prudent antibiotic prescribing (3). Hand washing is the most effective way to keep from spreading infections. The CDC recommends that you spend 20 seconds scrubbing your hands with soap while washing your hands (1). You can sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice all the way through also (1). If soap and water are not available, the CDC recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol (1). This should not be used as a first line of defense. Hand washing is always the best way to get rid of harmful bacterium. Gloves and gowns are another great way to create a barrier between you and the bacteria. Proper removal of gloves and gown are vitally important. If your gloves are contaminated with MRSA, and you remove them improperly, you have completely defeated the point of even putting the gloves on. Once a surface is contaminated with MRSA, it can live prolonged periods of time unless removed through cleaning (5). For contaminated surfaces, you would want to use a disinfectant. Choosing the proper disinfectant, along with following the directions of use on the packaging, will rid the surface form microbes. It is extremely important to follow the directions on the packaging of the disinfectant because each disinfectant is different. One may need you to keep the surface wet for 2 minutes, while the other requires the surface to be kept wet for 10 minutes. If the surface isn’t kept wet for the allotted time, the surface will not be disinfected and will continue to contaminate

Some germs that commonly live on the skin and in the nose are called staphylococcus or "staph" bacteria. Usually staph bacteria don't cause any harm. However, sometimes they get inside the body through a break in the skin and cause an infection. These infections are usually treated with antibiotics. When common antibiotics don't kill the staph bacteria, it means the bacteria have become resistant to those antibiotics. This type of staph is called MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or more commonly, MRSA, is an emerging infectious disease affecting many people worldwide. MRSA, in particular, is a very interesting disease because although many people can be carriers of it, it generally only affects those with a depressed immune system; this is why it is so prevalent in places like nursing homes and hospitals. It can be spread though surgeries, artificial joints, tubing, and skin-to-skin contact. Although there is not one specific treatment of this disease, there are ways to test what antibiotics work best and sometimes antibiotics aren’t even necessary.

Health care providers and visitors are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow strict hand hygiene procedures. Contaminated rooms, surfaces, and laundry items are properly disinfected to prevent the spread of MRSA. In addition to policy and procedures, patient teaching is also helpful for preventing exposure and spread of MRSA. As aforementioned earlier, hand hygiene is key to prevent exposer or transmission of the bacteria. To properly wash your hand effectively, first scrub hands rapidly for at least 15 seconds. Next, use a disposable towel to dry them and another towel to turn off the faucet. In addition, hand sanitizer that contains 62 percent or more of alcohol may be an adequate substitute when the individual does not have access to soap and water (Mayo Clinic Staff,

Preventable infections regardless of the causative agent, have become major triggers of unintended patient outcome, increased morbidity, and mortality (Arias, 2010). Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus (MSSA) and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) are the most common causes of healthcare associated infections (HAI) and outbreaks in acute care hospitals and community settings (CADTH, 2010). The widespread infection with the MRSA pathogen is believed to have increased from 2.4 percent in 1975 to 29 percent in 1991 and 2003 in hospitals across the United States (U S) (CADTH, 2010). The prevalence is even greater among Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients at 53 percent (CADTH, 2010) and continues to rise due to the widespread

MRSA is spread by contact, so for example, touching another person who has it on the skin, or by touching objects the bacteria has transferred to. These particular infections are frequent amongst those with weak immune systems and those in hospitals, nursing homes, care centers, etc., because the superbugs crop up around surgical wounds or invasive devices such as catheters or implanted feeding tubes. The

The most important type of isolation required for MRSA is what is called Contact Isolation. This type of isolation requires everyone in contact with the patient to be very careful about hand washing after touching either the patient or anything in contact with the patient. In addition the patients notes should be clearly labelled “MRSA” so that this type of accommodation is provided if and when they are admitted to hospital in the future.

MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is one of the most recent superbugs to become a health problem. MRSA is a species of Staphylococcus Aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin and antibiotics like it. Doctors are struggling to find proper treatment because of its resistance to the beta-lactam ring, the core of most antibiotics. The most lethal strain is the CC398 strain, most commonly found on livestock. There are approximately 80,000 invasive MRSA infections and 11,000 deaths every year. (CNN.com)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a drug resistant pathogen abundant in healthcare settings and the second most common overall cause of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (Jernigan & Kallan, 2010). The prevalence of MRSA is a significant problem found amongst many Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the United States (US); critically ill patients are at higher risk for hospital-acquired infections. Acquisition and infection of MRSA may significantly prolong duration of hospital stays, increase healthcare costs, and contribute to higher mortality rates. According to national data, MRSA accounts for nearly 70 percent of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from

The main hospital strains are already partially or fully resistant to the effects of commonly used antibiotics. Resistance is also emerging to last resort drugs like vancomycin. The more virulent community strains of MRSA are infiltrating hospitals while the more resistant hospital strain is leaking into the community. The history of MRSA as described in Superbug shows how quickly bacteria can evolve when we add a strong selective force like antibiotics. Around the world, species of bacteria are becoming “superbugs” that are resistant to conventional treatments. Pharmaceutical companies are cutting research on new antibiotics in favor of more profitable investments. We are quickly running out of options for treating multi-drug resistant bacteria. As we move toward a “post-antibiotic” world, there are valuable lessons to be found in the history of MRSA, one of the first superbugs. Students in Emerging Diseases should read Superbug to learn about the complex emergence of

MRSA stands for Methicillin-safe Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is a bacteria that is very hard to treat that infections in animals’ and humans body. MRSA was initially reported in 1961 when a researcher found it and the first case was in 1968. It's impervious to a gathering of anti-infection agents which incorporate methicillin and this is the explanation why it's hard to treat. "Staphylococcus" is comprised of two Greek components. The main component, which is "staphule," implies a pack of grapes and the second component "kokkos" means berry. The two Greek components consolidate to frame the current Latin word "staphylococcus." "Aureus" is characterized as golden. Staphylococcus aureus is a circular bacterium yet that is not by any means

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and was founded in the 1960’s. It was not recognized until the 1990’s when there was a breakout in the hospitals. Healthcare professionals became frightened of this “Super-Bug” mainly because of the spread from one person to another. It became uncontrollable and staff were not aware of how to prevent the spread and treat the patients. It was then that the hospitals and nursing homes developed infection control measures in order to control and prevent further spread of MRSA.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a strain of staph bacteria which has developed resistance to the antibiotics designed to treat common staph infections (Winterstein, 2009, p.189). Originally viewed as a hospital pathogen, MRSA has now begun to appear in the community. Hence, the infection is now distinguished by its origin, defined as hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), or community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). The close proximity of athletes, who often share soap, towels, and other items commonly used in the dressing room, as well as the vigorous physical contact involved in sporting activity (both practice and competition), have led to MRSA becoming a concern in athletics. MRSA is a concern because it can lead to severe infection and even morbidity (Indeed, athletes have become a target population for MRSA. A recent study of 377 varsity college athletes at Vanderbilt University confirms that those involved in contact sports were more than twice as likely to carry MRSA (Jiminez-Truque, 2014). It is believed that the higher prevalence of MRSA in contact sports is a result of the increased skin-to-skin contact which can lead to abrasions and cuts, which permit the superbug to enter the body and colonize it (Jiminez-Truque, 2014). Treatment of MRSA involves draining of abscesses, combined with administration of powerful antibiotics, usually intravenously (Winterstein, 2009, p.187). Since MRSA is resistant to the antibiotics developed to treat it

As nurses, taking care of patients with MRSA can be seen in everyday practice. It can be seen in patients with sepsis from an infected wound, patients who have pneumonia, or patients who only have a colonization for it (“Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 2015”). Regardless if it’s colonization or an active infection, and the source of the infection, proper policies and procedures are in place to reduce the transmission of MRSA to other patients in the hospital or nursing home setting. This includes performing proper hand hygiene and standard precautions, as well as wearing protective gown and gloves when entering the patient’s room. It is very important to adhere to these policies and procedures and educate others on the importance of these policies and procedures to reduce the transmission of MRSA to others.

The causative agent is a very important key factor in order to get an insight on exactly what specific bacteria and living organisms are associated with MRSA. MRSA has developed its name because it was first found to be only resistant towards the methicillin antibiotic. The MRSA infection is a type of Staphylococcus bacterium that comes from the staphylococcus aureus species. S. aureus bacteria contain many strains that with time have developed a resistance towards beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillin and cephalosporin