MRSA - Colorado College

MRSA is a type of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as "staph," are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Some S. aureus are resistant to the class of antibiotics that are frequently used to treat staph such as methicillin - and thus are called methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).

Who gets MRSA?

MRSA is almost always spread by direct physical contact and not through the air. Spread may also occur through indirect contact by touching objects (e.g., towels, sheets, wound dressings, clothes, workout areas, or sports equipment) contaminated by the infected skin of a person with staph bacteria or MRSA. Just as S. aureus can be carried on the skin or in the nose without causing any disease, MRSA can be carried in this way also. This is known as colonization. Staph infections commonly affect healthy people and healthy skin, but usually, these infections are successfully treated with proper skin care and antibiotics. Any activity that promotes breakdown in skin integrity (e.g., chronic skin infections, physical trauma, poor health) can promote staph skin infections including those caused by MRSA. MRSA, however, can be difficult to treat and can progress to life-threatening blood or bone infections because there are fewer effective antibiotics available for treatment.

How is MRSA diagnosed?

A sample of the infected wound (either a small biopsy of skin or pus taken with a swab) must be obtained to grow the bacteria in the microbiology laboratory. Once the staph is growing, the organism is tested to determine which antibiotics will be effective for treating the infection. A culture of skin lesions is especially useful in recurrent or persistent cases of skin infection, in cases of antibiotic failure, and in cases that present with advanced or aggressive infections.

Why are so many cases being recognized across the country?

MRSA has been recognized as a problem in the healthcare setting for over 20 years. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believes that MRSA has been emerging in the community for the last several years. It is difficult to determine whether there is an increase in MRSA disease in the community or an increased awareness and recognition of MRSA disease. However, it is clear that some of the recently recognized outbreaks of CA-MRSA are associated with strains that have some unique properties compared to the traditional hospital-based MRSA strains, suggesting some biologic properties (like virulence factors) may allow the CA-MRSA strains to spread more or cause more disease; however, these hypothesis need testing and confirmation.

Prevention/Control

You can prevent spreading an MRSA infection to those you live with or others around you by following these steps:

1. Keep infections, particularly those that continue to produce pus or to drain material, covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain MRSA and spread the bacteria to others.
2. Advise your family and other close contacts to wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water, especially if they change your bandages or touch the infected wound or potentially infectious materials.
3. Avoid sharing personal items (e.g., towels, washcloth, razor, clothing, or uniforms) that may have had contact with the infected wound and potentially infectious material. Wash linens and clothes that become soiled in hot water and laundry detergent. Drying clothes in a hot dryer, rather than air-drying, also helps kill bacteria in clothes.
4. Tell any healthcare providers who treat you that you have an antibiotic-resistant staph skin infection.
5. Review the attached "Recommendations for Students with methicillin resistant Stapylococcus aureus" in Residential College Settings.
6. If you have questions or need additional information, contact your family health care provider, Boettcher Health Center at (719) 389-6384, or link to http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/aresist/mrsa_comm_faq.htm

MRSA Questionnaire

If we make a diagnosis of MRSA at Boettcher Health Center, we will kindly request that the student complete this questionnaire to assist the Health Center staff with identifying and controlling this infection.