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Avoiding Antibiotic-Resistant Staph Infections
Published: Friday, June 6, 2008
Staph Infections are Preventable
What is Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)? Staph is commonly carried by 25% to 30% of the population on the skin or in the nose of healthy individuals similar to other kinds of bacteria and usually never cause an outbreak or infection. A staph infection is a bacteria infection of the skin. The most common staph infections are minor, which appear as a pimple or a boil. This type of infection most likely will not require any form of antibiotic and can be treated with antimicrobials and antibacterials. When a staph infection is a serious matter, it is present in a surgical wound, bloodstream and pneumonia. These will need to be treated by an antibiotic.
However, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a staph bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics that are beta-lactams. Beta-Lactams are antibiotics that include the cillin family (methicillin, penicillin, amoxicillin and oxacillin). As discussed, 25% to 30% of the population had staph bacteria in their nose and on the skin, about 1% has MRSA.
Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) is growing in the general population. More commonly you hear about MRSA being an infection contracted while having a procedure or being in the hospital setting. Now, more and more individuals are contracting MRSA in the community areas.
People who are at a greater risk of contracting CA-MRSA skin infections are athletes, military recruits, children, Pacific Islanders, Alaskan Natives, Native Americans and prisoners. A person will contract the skin infection by close skin-to-skin contact, openings of the skin (cuts or abrasions), contaminated items and surfaces, poor hygiene and crowded living conditions.
Practice good hygiene to help prevent staph and MRSA infections: wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; keep scrapes and cuts covered with a clean dry bandage until the wound is healed; avoid contact with other individual’s bandages or wounds; avoid sharing items such as towels or razors.
If you feel you may have contracted a staph or MRSA infection, consult your doctor. Make sure you do exactly what your physician tells, and take all medications prescribed to you.
If you do not have a physician and need one, please contact Healthcare Coordination at 1.877.UT.CARES (1.877.882.2737).
References
www.cdc.gov