Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it?

• Methicillin (meth-uh-SILL-un) resistant Staphylococcus (staf-ih-loh-KOK-us) aureus is a bacteria (germ) that causes bad infections. It is also called MRSA. MRSA is part of a growing number of bacteria that have mutated (changed) over the years. This bacteria cannot be killed by many different kinds of antibiotic medicines. This bacteria can infect any part of your body. MRSA is a major health concern for caregivers. It is hard to treat, and it is very contagious (easy to spread). You can get MRSA from being in the hospital, or you may get it outside the hospital. This is called community-associated MRSA.
  
  
• Many healthy people, including caregivers, have staph bacteria in or on their bodies and they do not know it. Staph bacteria is commonly found on the skin and in the nose. You may have MRSA and not know it. You may not be sick or have any signs or symptoms of infection. This is called colonization. When you are colonized with MRSA, you can give it to other people and make them sick.

What causes it? MRSA is caused by bacteria that have mutated. They can no longer be killed by many antibiotics. It is also caused by caregivers giving you antibiotic medicine to treat an illness when you may not need an antibiotic. Many people do not follow their caregivers instructions when they take an antibiotic. Antibiotic medicine must be taken as ordered until the last one is gone, even if you feel better. By stopping your antibiotic before your caregiver tells you to, you allow bacteria to become resistant to that antibiotic. This is why many antibiotics cannot kill MRSA.

Who gets MRSA? Anyone can get MRSA, even if they have not been sick or in the hospital. You are at higher risk of getting MRSA if you:

• Have been on a lot of antibiotics, or have not taken your antibiotics as instructed by your caregiver.
  
  
• Have taken antibiotics for a viral illness. Illnesses caused by a virus include the common cold, the flu, and most sore throats. A virus is a type of germ that cannot be killed by antibiotics.
  
  
• Have recently been in the hospital or had surgery.
  
  
• Have been in the intensive care unit (ICU).
  
  
• Have been in close contact with someone who has MRSA.
  
  
• Live in a long term care facility or are an older (elderly) adult.
  
  
• Are a dialysis or diabetic patient.
  
  
• Have any tubes going into your body, especially a tube that drains urine (catheter).
  
  
• Have any hardware (metal implants) in your body. Hardware may include artificial (fake) joints, a pacemaker, or screws and plates to hold a bone in place.
  
  
• Are an intravenous (IV) drug user.

How do I know if I have MRSA?

• If your antibiotic is not getting rid of your infection, you may not be on the right antibiotic. Your caregiver may need to change your antibiotic. There is also a small chance that you may have MRSA. One of the ways you can get a MRSA infection is if you have a cut in your skin. This allows MRSA to get into your body.
  
  
• The only way to know if you have MRSA is for your caregiver to do a culture. During this test your caregiver will collect drainage or tissue from your infected area. Your caregiver may also draw blood to see if MRSA is in your bloodstream. The results will tell your caregiver whether you have MRSA. Having a MRSA infection can cause:
  
  
  • Red, warm skin around the infected area.
    
    
  • Fatigue (being very tired) or not having any energy.
    
    
  • Fever.
    
    
  • Nausea (upset stomach) or vomiting (throwing up).
    
    
  • Pain around the infected site.
    
    
  • Swelling or drainage at the infected site.

How do I keep from getting MRSA?

• Your caregiver should not give you antibiotics for illnesses caused by a virus. You may feel that you need antibiotics in order to get well. This is not true. Antibiotics cannot treat or cure viral infections. By taking antibiotics for these conditions, bacteria are allowed to mutate. This may make them unable to be killed by the antibiotics we use now. If bacteria continue to mutate, there may be no antibiotics left to treat infections. Viral conditions usually will go away in time without the need for antibiotics.
  
  
• If you do have a bacterial infection, and you are given antibiotics, take them as instructed by your caregiver. Keep taking them until the last one is gone, even if you feel better. By stopping your antibiotic before your caregiver tells you to, you allow bacteria to form resistance to that antibiotic.
  
  
• Keep any cuts that you have clean and covered with a bandage until the cuts are healed. Follow your caregivers instructions for keeping your cut clean and covered.
  
  
• It is important that you wash your hands very well. Wash your hands after you use the bathroom, before you touch food, and after you sneeze or cough. Always wash your hands when they are dirty. This will help prevent MRSA from being spread to others. Family and friends should also wash their hands often.
  
  
• To wash your hands, you should use soap and warm water. Wet your hands under clean, running water. Make a good lather with the soap. Rub your hands back and forth and over each other, applying pressure when you do this. Do this for 15 to 20 seconds. Rinse off all the soap and dry your hands right away.
  
  
• If you do not have clean, running water available, you may use a germ-killing hand cleaner. Apply some of the cleaner to the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together making sure you cover all areas of your hands. Do this until your hands are dry.

How is MRSA treated? Your caregiver will have you start taking the antibiotic that your MRSA responds best to. The culture test results will help your caregiver make this decision. You may need to be on one or more antibiotics for several weeks. You may also need to be in the hospital for many weeks until your infection is gone. Other things your caregiver may do to treat your MRSA infection include:

• Fluid drainage. Draining fluid or pus that has collected in the area of a wound. This fluid makes your pain and infection worse. Your caregiver will numb the area and make a small incision (cut). Depending on how much fluid is in the infected area, your caregiver may decide to leave the area open. This allows for fluid to drain freely and for your caregiver to make sure the antibiotics are working. As your infection goes away, the open area will close and heal on its own.
  
  
• Surgery. Depending on how bad your infection is, your caregiver may need to do surgery. If you have any hardware in your body, the hardware may be causing your infection. Your caregiver will decide if your hardware needs to be removed. Ask your caregiver if you have any questions or concerns about having surgery.
  
  
• Contact precautions. As long as you are in the hospital with MRSA, you will be on special precautions called "contact precautions". This means that any caregiver entering your room will wear gloves, a gown, and a mask. This is to protect them from getting and spreading MRSA. You will be put into a private room. You may also be put into a room with another patient that has MRSA. While in a private room, you will be allowed to have visitors. Your visitors will need to wear gloves and gowns.
  
  
• Other safety measures. MRSA may live on many objects. If someone touches these objects, they may get MRSA and give it to others. To decrease the risk to others of getting MRSA, caregivers may leave equipment in your room. This equipment may include a stethoscope, thermometer, blood pressure cuff, and tape. These items will not be used on anyone else.

How long will I be sick with MRSA? Depending on how bad your MRSA infection is, you may be sick for a very long time. You may need to be on one or more antibiotics for several weeks, even if you feel better. It is very important that your caregiver make sure the MRSA is completely gone before stopping your treatment.

How do I prevent spreading MRSA to others? It is very important that you wash your hands very well. Wash your hands after you use the bathroom, before you touch food, and after you cough or sneeze. Always wash your hands when they are dirty. Keep any cuts that you have clean and covered with a bandage until the cuts are healed. Follow your caregivers instructions for keeping your cut clean and covered. This will help prevent MRSA from being spread to others. Family and friends should also wash their hands often.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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