MRSA

MRSA skin infections have been in the news because the bacteria that cause them are resistant to the antibiotics used to fight most staph infections. This can make MRSA infections harder to treat, although most will heal with proper care.

About MRSA

MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of staph bacteria. Many strains of staph bacteria are quite common, and most of us have staph bacteria living harmlessly on our skin or in our noses.

Staph bacteria that enter the body through a cut, scrape, or rash can cause minor skin infections. Most of these heal on their own if the wound is kept clean and bandaged, but sometimes antibiotics are needed.

What makes the MRSA strain different from other staph bacteria, though, is its resistance to the antibiotics that usually treat staph infections. (Methicillin is an antibiotic, which is why the strain is called "methicillin-resistant.") When bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, they are harder to kill. They become resistant by changing in some way that affects the ability of the antibiotic to do its job.

The bacterial changes that lead to resistance can be caused by improper usage of antibiotics, such as:

• taking antibiotics for things that they can't cure, like viruses
• not taking antibiotics properly when they are appropriate (e.g., not taking all the medicine prescribed or taking another person's medicine that wasn't prescribed for you)

The good news is that MRSA infections are rare in children. And if a healthy child does get one, a doctor can treat it.

How MRSA Spreads

MRSA is in the news but it's not a new infection. The first case was reported in 1968. In the past, MRSA usually affected people with weakened immune systems, such as those living in long-term care facilities like nursing homes.

But now some otherwise healthy people who are not considered at risk for MRSA are getting the infection. This is called community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) because it affects people outside of hospitals and nursing homes.

Kids who spend a lot of time together in groups, such as camps, schools, or college dorms are most at risk. Close quarters mean people are likely to touch the same surfaces, have skin-to-skin contact, or share equipment that has not been cleaned.

MRSA is contagious while there is a skin infection. Sometimes, people can be "carriers" of MRSA (meaning they retain the bacteria on or in their bodies) for days, weeks, or even years. They can spread it to others, even if they have no symptoms. That's why things like hand washing are so important.