By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2010-11-10 04:47:28 | Word Count: 556
MRSA staph infection is short of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus which is a step worst from the normal staph infection. Simply put, it's when you develop a resistance to the antibiotic used for treating the ordinary staph infection.
This is not something that develops overnight. In fact, to get MRSA, you must have been abusing the use of antibiotics for quite some time. These antibiotics may not have been used for a staph infection, but ordinary ailments like the common cold, cough, flu, or even a viral infection. This is why there is a 14 day period for all antibiotics - doctors have to prevent immunities from building up. After the 2 week period, if the infection or ailment is still present, the doctor should shift to a different medication. Also, should the cause for using antibiotics arise again after a couple of months, it is advisable not to prescribe the previous antibiotics.
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It is important to remember that bacteria evolves very fast, and they will find a way to resist the drugs that destroy them. In addition, for this very reason, antibiotics are not 100% sure of destroying all the germs in your body, and it is likely that quite a bit will remain, just not enough to cause a relapse.
The MRSA staph infection can occur in crowded or sterile conditions. The ICU, nursing homes, dialysis centers, and hospitals are actually ripe for MRSA staph infections to happen. This is because the bacteria is spread through skin contact.
Signs of MRSA staph infections are tiny red bumps that look like rashes, pimples, bites, or boils. However, they grow larger and develop pus which needs to be drained surgically. If left alone, it can be life-threatening because the bacteria can find its way it the major organs, joints, bones, and bloodstream.
The easiest way to prevent MRSA staph infection is to wear protective clothing when visiting someone in the hospital, scrubbing your hands well after coming into contact with someone who is or has been under medical care, and disinfecting laundry after a visit. For crowded areas, be sure to avoid skin contact, wash often and use hand sanitizers or alcohol. Do not use towels in public places or share toiletries and make-up, and any wounds you may have should be covered properly and dressed often.
As of 2009, MRSA staph infection cases have reached an astronomical 900,000 incidents, and the 2.5% of patients in hospitals or nursing homes are affected every year. The cost for MRSA staph infection has ballooned to over $8 billion a year, and 5% of all people who have MRSA staph infection die from complications due to the MRSA. This is at least 20,000 deaths from MRSA staph infection every year.
To avoid a MRSA staph infection from complications, it is recommended that you consult a doctor if any pimple or wound becomes infected. Proper dressing can prevent it from getting worst because generally, the bacteria is harmless until it is able to penetrate the body through an open wound or cut. Also, avoid taking antibiotics unless necessary since you could become immune to it, rendering it practically useless.
Author Resource:-
Writer is a microbiologist and researcher of mrsa staph infections. For more information on mrsa and staph infections see this website for mrsa treatment information.
