How are MRSA infections spread?
Anyone
can get a MRSA infection. People are more likely to get a MRSA infection if they have:
- Skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a MRSA infection
- Contact with items and surfaces that have MRSA on them
- Openings in their skin such as cuts or scrapes
- Crowded living conditions
- Poor personal hygiene or a lack of cleanliness
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How serious are MRSA infections?
Most MRSA skin infections are minor and may be easily
treated. Staph also may cause more serious infections, such as
infections of the bloodstream, surgical site, or pneumonia.
Sometimes, a staph infection that starts as a skin infection may
worsen. It is important to contact your healthcare provider if your
infection does not get better.
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How are MRSA infections treated?
Treatment
for a MRSA skin infection may include taking an
antibiotic or having a doctor drain the infection. If you are given
an antibiotic, be sure to take all of the doses, even if the
infection is getting better, unless your doctor tells you to stop
taking it. Do not share antibiotics with other people or save them
to use later. It is very important to complete the entire course of
treatment! If after visiting your healthcare provider the infection
is not getting better after a few days, contact them again.
If other people you know or live with get the same infection, tell
them to go to their healthcare provider.
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If you have any questions about your condition, please ask your
healthcare provider. More information can be found at the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
HA-MRSA and the
CA-MRSA
websites; on the CDC/NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health) Safety and Health Topic page:
MRSA
and the Workplace or Antimicrobial (Drug)
Resistance at the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID) Web page.
Also, view the complete
CDC patient information sheet. [207 KB
PDF, 1 page]
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