Also called: Also called: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It causes an infection that is resistant to several common antibiotics. There are two types of infection. Hospital-associated MRSA happens to people in healthcare settings. Community-associated MRSA happens to people who have close skin-to-skin contact with others, such as athletes involved in football and wrestling.
Infection control is key to stopping MRSA in hospitals. To prevent community-associated MRSA
- Practice good hygiene
- Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed
- Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages
- Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, or clothes
- Wash soiled sheets, towels and clothes in hot water with bleach and dry in a hot dryer
If a wound appears to be infected, see a healthcare provider. Treatment may include draining the infection and antibiotics.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/antimicrobialResistance/Examples/mrsa/default.htm
- MRSA(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/diseaseGroups/mrsa.htm
- About MRSA Skin Infections(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/mrsa_initiative/skin_infection/mrsa_faqs.html
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JAMA Patient Page: MRSA Infections(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/298/15/1826.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/298/15/1826/DC1/1
- MRSA Infection(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/mrsa/DS00735/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- New Research Highlights New Way to Kill Superbugs(03/31/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82388.html
- Simple Techniques Slash Hospital Infections(03/21/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81999.html
- 3 Steps Might Help Stop MRSA's Spread(03/20/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81957.html
- More News on MRSA http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_m.html#mrsa
- FDA Clears First Quick Test for Drug-Resistant Staph Infections(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01768.html
- MRSA Screening(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/mrsa/test.html
- Community-Associated MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) Information for the Public(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html
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MRSA in Healthcare Settings(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_spotlight_2006.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/especialesCDC/SARM/
- Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Non-Hospital Healthcare Settings(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_multidrugFAQ.html
- Staph Wound Infections and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/staph.html
- Abscess(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/abscess.htm
- Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/antibiotic-associated-diarrhea/DS00454/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Seasonal Flu and Staph Infection(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flustaph.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Staphylococcal Infections(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Staphylococcal+Infections%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=MRSA
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CDC Estimates 94,000 Invasive Drug-Resistant Staph Infections Occurred in the U.S. in 2005(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2007/r071016.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/esmedia/2007/16oct2007.html
- CDC Statement on MRSA in Men Who Have Sex with Men(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/t080116.htm
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MRSA Proves a Stubborn Opponent in Labs and Locker Rooms(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/antimicrobialResistance/Examples/mrsa/mrsaLabLocker.htm
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Study Highlights MRSA Evolution and Resilience(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/niaid-21.htm
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Fools rush in? - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19369279&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Hospital infection control strategies for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19289807&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Embracing ecology to limit antimicrobial resistance. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19221342&tool=MedlinePlus
- MRSA -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(drug+resistance,bacterial[mh]+AND+staphylococcus+aureus[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Should I Worry about MRSA?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/mrsa.html
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Staphylococcus aureus and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Services) - Links to PDF - http://otispregnancy.org/pdf/staphylococcus_aureus.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://otispregnancy.org/pdf/es_staph.pdf
- Antibiotics - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antibiotics.html
- Infection Control - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infectioncontrol.html
- Staphylococcal Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/staphylococcalinfections.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
The primary NIH organization for research on MRSA is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
MRSA - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/mrsa.html