Facts about MRSA

Most people have heard of the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Also called S. aureus or simply 'staph', this bacteria is one of the most common causes of skin infections. Although 'staph' can cause serious infections, like blood and bone infections, pneumonia and surgical wound infections, most infections are minor, such as impetigo, cellulitis and small abscesses or boils.
And unfortunately, more and more people are becoming aware of MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
While regular 'staph' infections are usually easily treated with cephalosporin antibiotics that are related to penicillin, like Keflex, Duricef, and Ancef, the MRSA bacteria has developed a resistance to these antibiotics, so that they don't work anymore.
How common are staph and MRSA infections?
It is estimated that 25% to 30% of people have the staph bacteria either on their skin or in their nose, althought it doesn't necessarily cause an infection unless there is a break in the skin, like from an insect bite or scratch. Unless they have an infection, these people are simply 'colonized' with 'staph' and don't necessarily need treatment.
Although usually thought of as a 'nosocomial' infection or one that is spread among people in the hospital or a nursing home, etc., MRSA infections are becoming increasingly more common in healthy people who have not been in the hospital (community acquired infections).
There have also been reports of outbreaks 'among participants in competitive sports,' including fencers, football players and wrestlers. These outbreaks may be because athletes have many risk factors for infection, including 'physical contact, skin damage, and sharing of equipment or clothing.'
How did 'staph' become resistant to antibiotics?
Probably because of the general overuse of antibiotics these days. When you take an antibiotic, like Omnicef, Vantin or Ceftin, for an ear or sinus infection, in addition to targeting the bacteria causing those infections, if you are colonized with 'staph', the 'staph' bacteria is also exposed to those antibiotics and so have time to 'learn' how to fight them or become resistant.
Even if your child isn't on antibiotics a lot, if he is in daycare or around a lot of other children who are often on antibiotics, then he might be exposed and can catch resistant bacteria.
Can you treat 'staph' and MRSA infections?
Fortunately, yes. Although MRSA is resistant to methicillin and related penicillin type antibiotics, there are usually other oral antibiotics that still work, like Bactrim (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) and Clindamycin. Vancomycin is usually the drug of choice for hospitalized patients.
Linezolid (Zyvox) is a newer antibiotic recently approved for use in adults, can treat MRSA and VRSA (Vancomycin Resistant Stapylococcus aureus), and which has been found to be 'effective and well-tolerated in children.'1
Also, when possible, these infections often clear up quickly if the wound can be drained.