Staphylococcus Aureus ( Mrsa )

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.

Describe methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and its implications for patients who are diagnosed with this.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a bacterium that is resistant to many available high- level beta-lactam antibiotics, which include penicillins, “antistaphylococcal” penicillins and cephalosporins. Staphyloccoci are the most important bacteria that cause disease in humans. MRSA is sometimes branded as a nosocomial infection as it usually plagues patients that are receiving treatment in a hospital. The skin is the most common site of infection, where MRSA can cause cellulitis, folliculitis, or boils in the skin, but can also commonly be found in the nose, underarm, groin, upper respiratory tract, intestine, vagina and rectal areas of the body. MRSA infections occur with there is a break in the skin that allows the Methicillin resistant

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a spherical bacteria which is known to produce a cytotoxin called Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PLV) which destroys leukocytes, and kills tissue (Lina et al., 1999). Five percent of strains of Staphylococcus are known to produce the disease-causing toxin (Lina et al., 1999), but though the amount of PLV-producing strains is somewhat small, the strains which produce PLV are apparently resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat staph infections (CDC, 2002). The first recorded case of S. aureus resistance to vancomycin was a reduction in sensitivity to the antibiotic observed in Japan, and has since spread to the United States (CDC, 2002). The most common source of infection of these drug-resistant bacteria are actually in hospitals, wherein the patients are exposed to the bacteria and subsequently infected (CDC, 2002).

In conclusion, the importance of control and prevention in the spread of MRSA cannot be emphasised enough. MRSA clearly

Hospital settings have harbored a disease-causing organism called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) since the 1960s. However, hospitals aren’t the only settings at risk of a MRSA outbreak. In recent years’ healthy communities have seen a genetically distinct strain of MRSA, called community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). Although this organism has been less resistant to antibiotics, it is more virulent and capable of causing illnesses (Alex & Letizia, 2007). The community should be aware of the risk factors for this infection and understand its signs, symptoms, and management.

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus also referred to as MRSA is a type bacterium that becomes immune to many antibiotics used to treat even the most common infection. MRSA has become an issue in hospitals around the globe as it is known to constanly change over time. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus (MRSA) usually occurs in day care home, hospitals and other related health care facilities. It was reported that in 2005 the majority of all infection related cases came from an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, resulting in a high rate of death (Tacconelli, et al 2007). In 1961 (Enright, et al 2002) methicillin-resistant staphylococcus (MRSA) was first discovered in the United Kingdom and later made its way to Asia and after to the United States.

In the research, fourteen patients in Los Angeles contracted the MRSA necrotizing fasciitis strain. Most of the patients reported having some type of a preexisting condition, like hepatitis C or a history of intravenous

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA is a source of major concern for public health. MRSA is no longer a sole property of inpatients’ infections, but spreads quickly in the community, responsible for more deaths in the US than AIDS. It demonstrates increasing prevalence not only among people with weak immune systems, but also among those who we consider to be the healthiest.

Everyone is at risk to get the MRSA infection, especially if you have commonly done any of the above. "Two in 100 people carry MRSA." (CDC, MRSA) The risk of contracting MRSA is higher if you, have a low immune system, are in a hospital a lot (inpatient care), if you have had a catheter/IV, if you are sharing personal items, and if you are in close contact with others a lot. So how can you reduce your risk? "By maintaining good hand and body hygiene, keep cuts and scrapes covered until healed, avoid sharing personal items, get care early." (CDC, MRSA)

A total of 36 (40.9%) MRSA were found, of which 26 (72.2%) were isolated from surfaces, 5 (13.8%) from indoor air, 4 (11.1%) from staff and one (2.7%) from a patient. All the 36 MRSA isolates were both mecA positive and cefoxitin resistant.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that is responsible for several infections in humans like pneumonia, bloodstream infection, etc. Methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus was first identified among hospitalized patients in 1960s. MRSA is any strain of Staphylococcus aureus developed through the process of natural selection and resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillins (methicillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, etc.) and the cephalosporins. It is of huge concern in hospitals, prisons, and nursing homes, where the patients are at high risk due to open wounds, invasive devices, and weakened immune systems. MRSA infections that occur in hospitals are known as Hospital Associated MRSA (HA-MRSA).

The use of patient isolation and contact precautions for MRSA is a controversial issue resulting from evidence that both

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria are resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics such as methicillin, penicillin, oxacillin, and amoxicillin. Sometimes called a “super-bug” because of its ability to resist so many of our antibiotics. MRSA can be fatal and according to the CDC, of the over 80,000 invasive MRSA infections every year, 11,285 related deaths occur. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become the bacteria of this decade.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of many hospital acquired infections that pose a threat to all hospitalized patients. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), acquiring MRSA in a healthcare setting can lead to additional problems such as bloodstream infections, Pneumonia, and surgical site infections. These unexpected complications will prolong a patient’s stay in the hospital and increase the risk of mortality. Taking precautions to prevent the spread of MRSA is crucial in order to keep patients healthy and improve client outcomes. Two background questions pertinent to MRSA are: How is MRSA spread? What are ways to prevent the spread of MRSA? Considering both of these background questions