November 18-24 is World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. As such, we’ve taken the opportunity to look at one of the known “superbugs” of our time – methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
But what is MRSA and why is it such a concern in modern healthcare?
MRSA explained
MRSA is a name given to a type of bacteria that has become resistant to the most common antibiotics. People usually contract MRSA when they are staying in hospital, but there are strains of the bacteria in community spaces too. Outbreaks have occurred in prisons, nurseries, military training camps and more – effectively, any place where high volumes of people spend significant amounts of time together.1 In fact, MRSA has even been found in hotel rooms, proving just how widespread these bacteria are.2
What’s particularly interesting is that this bacteria lives harmlessly on the skin of about 1 in 30 people.3 MRSA bacteria can be passed from person to person through any form of close contact. It may also be transferred to people via activities such as sharing clothes and towels or touching any objects or surfaces that have bacteria on them.4
Just because a person is carrying MRSA, that doesn’t mean they’re at risk of infection. Infections with the bacteria tend to occur when people have wounds, burns or are on a drip/need a urinary catheter. This gives the bacteria a chance to enter the body, bypassing the skin’s natural defences. Additionally, people who are immunocompromised or with other serious health conditions are also more at higher risk.5 Today, MRSA infections aren’t common, and significant progress in reducing the number of infections was achieved between 2005-2012.6
Symptoms
MRSA infections can cause a number of symptoms, including:
- Swollen, red, painful skin that may have pus
- A high temperature
- Chills
- Aches and pains
- Dizziness
- Confusion
MRSA infections are often fatal.7 Part of the reason for this is that they’re difficult to treat. Not only are they resistant to many modern antibiotics, but they also form resilience to new antibiotics very quickly. As such, MRSA infections need to be managed carefully, especially if there’s a chance that an outbreak could lead to these bacteria evolving further and boosting their antibiotic resistance.8
Managing MRSA infections
If MRSA has been discovered on your skin but you are not infected, there are certain ways to “decolonise” the bacteria. These include actions such as applying antibacterial cream inside your nose for a number of days, washing with antibacterial shampoo and changing your clothes regularly.
If an individual has caught an MRSA infection, this is usually treated with antibiotics that are still effective against these bacteria.9
Prevention
Much like many other bacterial conditions, one of the fundamental ways to prevent MRSA infections is by practising a high standard of hand hygiene. Similarly, patients in hospital settings can help prevent spreading infections by following any wound care guidance and by looking after any devices that could lead to infection (drips and urinary catheters).10
While MRSA infections aren’t common, they are still concerning and should be understood by all healthcare personnel. Excellent hand hygiene is a trusted defence, so with this in place, the majority of healthcare settings will be safe from MRSA.
About Initial Medical Waste
Initial Medical set the standard in healthcare and infectious waste management in the UK, providing a reliable, effective and fully compliant service built around customer needs and delivered by our highly trained local teams. We are ISO 9001:2015 accredited, with technology fully integrated into our operations, providing full traceability of service delivery, electronic waste documentation and the best customer experience possible. We also offer innovative healthcare waste management services and infection control products, to help break the chain of transmission and prevent cross contamination.
Initial Medical are a company with a ‘World Class’ Health and Safety record, and ISO 45001:2018 accreditation. We are also accredited to ISO 14001:2015 environmental standards, and pride ourselves on our sustainable approach with a focus on delivering eco-friendly products and operational solutions.
To find out more, visit our Initial Medical website today.
1 Mayo Clinic. MRSA Infection. Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336 [Last accessed October 22].
2 CBC News. ‘Superbug’ Bacteria Found In Tested Hotel Rooms. Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/superbug-bacteria-found-in-tested-hotel-rooms-1.1219281 [Last accessed September 22].
3 NHS. MRSA. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mrsa/ [Last accessed September 22].
4 NHS. MRSA. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mrsa/[Last accessed September 22].
5 NHS. MRSA. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mrsa/ [Last accessed September 22].
6 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. MRSA. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/healthcare/index.html
7 Pastagia, M. et al. Predicting Risk for Death from MRSA Bacteremia. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Jul; 18(7): 1072–1080.
8 Pastagia, M. et al. Predicting Risk for Death from MRSA Bacteremia. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Jul; 18(7): 1072–1080.
9 NHS. MRSA. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mrsa/#:~:text=MRSA%20is%20a%20type%20of,it%20called%20a%20%22superbug%22. [Last accessed September 22].
10 NHS. MRSA. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mrsa/#:~:text=MRSA%20is%20a%20type%20of,it%20called%20a%20%22superbug%22. [Last accessed September 22].
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