Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA, is a form of contagious bacterial infection. People sometimes call it a superbug because it is resistant to numerous antibiotics. This resistance makes it challenging to treat. Show
MRSA is present in about 5% of inpatients in the United States, and 1 in 3 people carry Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria on their skin or in their nose. These bacteria do not usually cause a problem, but if they enter the body and lead to an infection, it can become serious. A person may develop sepsis or pneumonia, for example, which can be fatal. In healthy people, MRSA does not usually cause a severe infection, but older people, individuals with health conditions, and those with a weakened immune system may be at risk. Experts consider this infection to be a “serious” threat. If it develops resistance to other antibiotics, it will be harder to treat and may become an “urgent” threat. In this article, find out what MRSA is, why it happens, and why it causes concern. What is a superbug? Click here to learn more.
MRSA is a common and potentially serious infection that has developed resistance to several types of antibiotics. These include methicillin and related antibiotics, such as penicillin, vancomycin, and oxacillin. This resistance makes MRSA difficult to treat. Methicillin is an antibiotic that is related to penicillin. It was once effective against Staphylococci (staph), a type of bacteria. Over time, staph bacteria have developed a resistance to penicillin-related antibiotics, including methicillin. These resistant bacteria are called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Although doctors can no longer use methicillin to treat MRSA, this does not mean that the infection is untreatable. Some antibiotics are effective in treating it. What is antibiotic resistance? Find out here. Staph bacteria cause infections that can lead to complications ranging in severity from mild to life threatening. They include:
In some cases, MRSA can be life threatening. MRSA infections can be healthcare-associated or community-associated. In 2008, about 86% of all invasive MRSA infections in the U.S. were healthcare-associated. This classification means that they occurred or started in a healthcare setting. The type of treatment for MRSA will depend on the following factors:
The bacteria that cause MRSA are resistant to some but not all antibiotics. A doctor will prescribe medication that is suitable for the particular infection that occurs. A person should make sure that they take the whole course of antibiotics exactly as the doctor prescribes. Some people stop taking the drugs after the symptoms disappear, but this can increase the risk of the infection coming back and becoming resistant to treatment. MRSA results from infection with bacterial strains that have acquired resistance to particular antibiotics. MRSA is contagiousMRSA can spread from person to person through direct skin-to-skin contact or when a person with MRSA bacteria on their hands touches an object that another person then touches. MRSA bacteria can survive for a long time on surfaces and objects, including fabrics and door handles. In 2000, scientists investigated how long resistant staph could survive on five common hospital fabrics. They injected the fabrics with colony-forming units of staph and observed the reactions over the following days. They found that the bacteria could survive for:
These results demonstrate the need for thorough contact control and meticulous disinfection procedures to limit the spread of bacteria. Healthcare-associated MRSAMRSA frequently causes illness in people with a compromised immune system who spend time in the hospital and other healthcare facilities. This type is called healthcare-associated MRSA or hospital-acquired MRSA. MRSA is more likely to happen in a hospital because:
A person will have a higher risk of developing healthcare-associated MRSA in the hospital if they have had surgery recently or if they have:
A person may have a weakened immune system if they:
Community-associated MRSAMRSA is less common outside a healthcare setting. If it does occur, it is more likely to be a skin infection, although some people develop pneumonia and other infections. Factors that increase the risk of developing community-associated MRSA include:
People can reduce the risk by practicing appropriate hand washing, keeping wounds clean, avoiding sharing personal items — such as towels and razors, and seeking early treatment if any symptoms of an infection appear. Children can develop MRSA through an open wound. Find out how to recognize it and what to do. The symptoms of MRSA will depend on the area of the body that is infected. Many people carry MRSA bacteria in their mucosa, for instance, inside the nose, but they may never develop symptoms that indicate an active infection. Staph skin infections, including MRSA, appear as a bump or sore area of the skin that can resemble an insect bite. The infected area might be:
Symptoms of a serious MRSA infection in the blood or deep tissues may include:
Tips to prevent MRSA depend on whether it is healthcare-associated or community-associated: Preventing healthcare-associated MRSA infectionThe following guidelines can help patients, healthcare workers, and visitors prevent MRSA infections from spreading in the hospital:
It may be necessary for a patient with an MRSA infection to stay in their room until treatment is complete. Preventing community-associated MRSA infectionPeople can reduce the risk of community-associated MRSA outside of hospitals by:
Experts are concerned about MRSA and other bacteria that have developed resistance to certain antibiotics. However, a growing awareness of hygiene procedures appears to have helped reduce the number of cases. In 2011, there were 80,461 severe MRSA infections in the U.S. and 11,285 deaths. However, from 2005 to 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that the overall number of invasive MRSA infections fell by 40%, and the number of cases that started in healthcare settings fell by 65%. They note that this decrease is probably due to improved guidelines relating to hygiene and contact. Which of the following statements explains the ability of MRSA to evade existing drug therapies choose all answers that apply?Which of the following best explains the ability of MRSA to evade existing drug therapies? MRSA exchange genetic material within their populations and have fast generation times. Resistant bacteria reproduce more frequently and pass along their resistance genes more often than non-resistant bacteria.
Which of the following would be the most likely effect on Staphylococcus aureus antibiotic resistance?Which of the following would be the most likely effect on Staphylococcus aureus antibiotic resistance? Transmission of the methicillin-resistance plasmid would gradually decrease but the plasmid would not entirely disappear from the Staphylococcus aureus population.
Which of the following best explains how biological communities near deep sea hydrothermal vents can exist in a habitat lacking sunlight?Which of the following best explains how biological communities near deep-sea hydrothermal vents can exist in a habitat lacking sunlight? Some organisms rely on energy captured from inorganic compounds to drive basic biological processes.
Which of the following best describes the reproductive ability of C elegans following the induced in the first experiment?Which molecular substance is actively transported across the plasma membrane? Which of the following best describes the reproductive ability of C. elegans following the ARD induced in the first experiment? reproduction via self-fertilization.
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