Containing MRSA

Reps can help their accounts prevent the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Years and years of antibiotic treatment – much of which is often unnecessary – has led to antibiotic resistance, according to Mayo Clinic. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is an example of infection caused by a strain of staph bacteria that has become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infections. Traditionally, physicians diagnosed MRSA by examining a tissue sample or nasal secretions for signs of drug-resistant bacteria. Recently, however, a blood culture test has become available for physicians to detect MRSA in blood culture bottles showing gram-positive cocci in clusters in about an hour, helping physicians determine whether a patient’s blood is infected with MRSA or SA – frequent causes of sepsis in hospitalized patients. And, faster feedback often means more efficient and effective patient care.

About MRSA
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria – or staph bacteria – generally exist on the skin or in the nose of about a third of the population, according to Mayo Clinic. For the most part, the bacteria are harmless. In fact, even when they enter the body through a cut or wound, they often cause only minor skin problems in healthy people.

Only about two percent of the population carries MRSA staph bacteria , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection. Healthcare-associated MRSA infections (HA-MRSA), which are spread in hospital or other healthcare settings, such as nursing homes, are typically associated with invasive procedures or devices (e.g., surgeries, intravenous tubing or artificial joints), according to Mayo Clinic. Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), which begins as a boil on the skin, is most often found among groups such as high school wrestlers, childcare workers and people living in crowded conditions.

Staph infections, including MRSA, begin as small red bumps, which can quickly morph into deep, painful abscesses that require surgical draining. Sometimes the bacteria remained confined to the skin, notes Mayo Clinic. However, they can also burrow deep into the body, leading to life-threatening infections in bones, joints, surgical wounds, the bloodstream, heart valves and the lungs.

One way to test for MRSA is by checking a tissue sample or nasal secretions for signs of drug-resistant bacteria. The sample is sent to a lab, where it is placed in a dish of nutrients that encourage bacterial growth, according to Mayo Clinic. It takes about 48 hours for the bacteria to grow, however, sometimes resulting in physicians using empiric treatments or inadequate antimicrobials that can contribute to increased drug resistance. This has prompted some physicians to look to newer tests designed to detect staph DNA within hours. Faster results help ensure more timely and accurate patient care.

Preventing MRSA
The best way to prevent the spread of MRSA within hospital or healthcare settings is through isolation of the infected patient, according to Mayo Clinic. Visitors and clinicians/staff caring for MRSA-infected (or MRSA-colonized) patients are often required to wear protective garments and to follow strict hand hygiene procedures. In addition, contaminated surfaces and laundry items should be properly disinfected.

To prevent the spread of community-associated MRSA, people should take the following precautions, notes Mayo Clinic:

• Wash hands thoroughly for at least 15 seconds. When there is no access to soap and water, Mayo Clinic recommends using hand sanitizers containing 62 percent alcohol.
• Keep wounds covered. Cuts and abrasions should be kept clean and covered with sterile, dry bandages, as pus from infected sores may contain MRSA.
• Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, sheets, razors, clothing and athletic equipment, as MRSA spreads on contaminated objects as well as through direct contact.
• Sanitize towels and bed linens. When individuals have a cut or sore, these items should be washed in the hottest water setting, with bleach added if possible, and dried in a hot dryer.

Distributor sales reps can help their customers address the above issues by supplying them with essential surface disinfectants, as well as hand soaps, gels and disinfectants.