MRSA Fact Sheet
MRSA (short for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus auereus), or often referred to as ORSA, Merca or Mersa, is a type of staph infection that is commonly known as simply “Staph”. The infection results in symptoms very similar to those in other Staph Infections, but unlike typical staph bacteria, MRSA bacteria are completely resistant to even the strongest of antibiotics. This strain of staph was first discovered several decades ago, when it inhabited several hospitals and spread very quickly into the community. It was one of the first types of infections that was resistant to the most powerful antibiotics.
There are many strains of staph, but they all can be found on the skin or residing inside the nose of over a quarter of the healthy population. MRSA bacteria are much rarer than other strains, occurring in about 7 percent of health care professionals, and only 2 percent of the community. It may be less common, but it is certainly more deadly, especially in populations such as the young, the elderly, and the sickly.
Many ordinary people already have MRSA bacteria living on their skin or in their noses. These people are known as carriers, because they do not contract symptoms, but they do carry the disease to other people, or non-carriers. Usually the bacteria they carry do not cause major problems unless they enter the body through wounds or open skin. Even then, the bacteria usually only result in minor skin conditions, such as acne pimples. However, when the susceptible populations identified above come into direct contact with carriers, there is a large potential for them to develop severe staph infections and serious disease.
MRSA bacteria secrete a compound composed of amino acids that causes healthy immune cells to explode. This leads in turn to a further weakened immune system. Other symptoms of MRSA include vomiting, blisters, production of pus, diarrhea, and in some cases, toxic shock syndrome. These symptoms are scary enough on their own, but coupled with a resistance to all antibiotics, they become dramatically more frightening.
This is why many people refer to MRSA as a “superbug” or “supervirus”. Due to its resistance to treatments and its high susceptibility, the best treatment for MRSA is, in fact, prevention. It can be prevented by keeping surfaces clean and sanitary, cleaning out wounds with rubbing alcohol and having both medical professionals and community members wash their hands on a regular basis. Hopefully, further research and study of this deadly strain of staph will lead to an effective way to destroy it, and better prevention of the MRSA infection.
“What is MRSA” (www.whatismrsa.net) is your guide to learning everything you need to know about the bacteria, including what does MRSA look like, the symptoms of MRSA infection, the signs of MRSA infection and MRSA treatment.
