6 Urgent Questions and Answers About the Superbug Named MRSA

Did you know that "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" is the longest English word? It is an alleged lung disease. Another lengthy term is methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, which you can also refer to as MRSA. If you work in the medical field, then you should certainly know about this word. Differing from the first term mentioned, MRSA certainly exists. Here are some important questions and answers regarding MRSA:

1. What is MRSA?

In short, MRSA is a bacterium. However, it is more complicated than that. If you are healthy, and have MRSA living atop your skin or inside your nose, then they create no harm to you. However, if you undergo surgery, become exhausted, or get wounded, then MRSA can become a threat to your well being. Once MRSA enters your body, such as through the skin, it could result in a staphylococcal infection, or "staph" infection.

2. Can doctors use antibiotics to kill MRSA?

Yes, but the treatments can be pricey and challenging. While physicians can prescribe antibiotics to treat MRSA, not all of them are effective. Several types of antibiotics are ineffective in killing MRSA. For instance, MRSA is resistant to antibiotics that resemble penicillin.

3. Does MRSA only live in hospitals?

Historically, MRSA has been most problematic in healthcare environments, such as nursing homes and hospitals. Healthcare employees have attempted to prevent the transmission of the bacteria, by taking certain actions. These include washing their hands frequently; and wearing hygienic clothing, such as cheap landau scrubs.

However, MRSA have recently appeared more frequently in environments outside of healthcare facilities.

4. How widespread is MRSA?

Estimates show that roughly 90,000 people die annually in US hospitals, due to infections that bacteria cause. Of that figure, the majority of the deaths involve MRSA. During the past 1.5-2.0 decades or so, the occurrences of MRSA have increased dramatically. While it is unknown how many people MRSA typically infects, staph bacteria infect about a quarter of the US population, at any given time.

5. What causes MRSA to spread?

MRSA is most common in various healthcare facilities, such as health clinics and medical centers. However, MRSA also occurs in various other environments. These include contact contact sports locations, and prisons.

In almost all causes, direct physical contact causes the transmission of MRSA. Thus, when people become in close proximity to people infected with MRSA, transmission becomes more likely. People can also acquire MRSA by touching objects that are infected with the bacteria. They include:

o clothing

o sheets

o sports equipment

o towels

o workout areas

6. What are MRSA's symptoms?

Typically, infections appear on the skin. However, MRSA becomes more problematic when it enters the bloodstream. The results could result in arthritis, meningitis, pneumonia, etc.

MRSA is not simply an acronym for a certain bacteria. Instead, this type of bacteria can result in serious health difficulties, and even death. Hospitals must be constantly proactive in prevent MRSA, by using methods such as the wearing of scrubs. This will help to shorten the life of a germ with a long name.