Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

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MRSA is bacteria that can cause infections and is easily spread. Read about prevention and treatment for this type of antibiotic resistant infection.

Key points

MRSA is a bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.
Signs of MRSA infection include skin problems such as a rash and boils.
Steps must be taken to prevent the spread of MSRA.
An infection caused by MRSA can be treated with antibiotics.

Introduction

What is MRSA?

MRSA is a type of bacteria (germ). MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is often shortened to Staph aureus.

Staph aureus is a germ that is often found on the skin. It does not usually make people ill. When Staph aureus does cause an infection, it usually affects the skin. It can cause boils, infected cuts and other skin infections.

MRSA is a special type of Staph aureus. It is resistant to many antibiotics, including methicillin. This means that methicillin and some other antibiotics do not get rid of MRSA if you take them.

Causes, risk factors and prevalence

MRSA can be spread by unwashed hands

MRSA spreads by contact between people. This means that unwashed hands can spread it through touching.

People are more likely to get MRSA in hospitals or long-term care facilities

People who have been in hospitals, rehab facilities or in long-term care are more at risk of getting MRSA. Outside of the hospital, most people are healthy and are not likely to get an infection from MRSA.

However, it is possible to become infected with MRSA outside the hospital. This is called community-acquired MRSA. Recently, more people have started to get community-acquired MRSA.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing MRSA

Patients are tested for MRSA by taking swabs. Swabs are taken of the nose, the rectum, and any other area of broken skin, such as a rash or cut. The swabs are then sent to the laboratory for MRSA tests.

Your health-care provider will take swabs from your child if:

Your child shows symptoms of an infection.
Your child lived outside of Canada or stayed in a hospital within the past year. Your child might have come into contact with MRSA in the country they lived in or at the other hospital.

Many hospitals screen all patients for MRSA when they are admitted.

Sometimes, MRSA goes away. For children who already have MRSA, the tests will tell us if your child still has it. To find this out, we will need to take three sets of swabs, at least one week apart from each other, while your child is not taking antibiotics. If all these tests do not show MRSA, your child may not have it anymore.

Treatment

MRSA is treated with antibiotics if it is causing an infection

If your child has MRSA, and it has caused an infection, your child will be treated with antibiotics. If your child has MRSA but it is not causing any harm, no treatment will be needed. Once your child leaves the hospital, the MRSA will often go away.

Prevention

You can help prevent MRSA from spreading

MRSA can be prevented at the hospital. Both you and the staff treating your child can help stop MRSA from spreading:

All staff caring for your child in the hospital should wear gloves, a gown and a mask.
When your child is in hospital, wash your hands before going into your child's room, after you touch your child and before you leave your child's room.
Because you are not going to be touching other patients, you do not have to wear gloves, gowns or masks.

If your child is not staying in the hospital but needs to come back for a visit, or if your child has to visit their own doctor, tell the doctors and nurses that your child has or has had MRSA. This will help them make decisions about the type of care your child needs.

If you have any questions, ask your child's doctor or nurse.

When to seek medical attention

MRSA and serious illness

MRSA may not cause more serious infections than other germs, but it can be more difficult to choose the right antibiotic to treat MRSA. It is important to know if someone has MRSA so they can be treated with the right antibiotics. If you have any concerns about whether you or someone else has MRSA, ask a doctor or a nurse.

If your child has MRSA and is in hospital

While in the hospital, your child will be placed in a single room to help prevent the spread of MRSA to other people. Your child will not be able to visit the playroom until your child has got rid of MRSA. Ask the Child Life Specialist to bring toys and supplies to your room. When your child is discharged from the hospital, you don't have to do anything special once you go home.

Last updated: November 17th 2009