Skin infections, particularly those in student athletes, have been in the news recently. The Baltimore County Department of Health (BCDH) would like to share the following information with you:
Q. What is Staphylococcus aureus (staph)?
A. Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as "staph," are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States.
Q. What is MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)?
A. Some staph bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactam antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.
Back to top Q. Who gets Staph or MRSA infections?
A. Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) who have weakened immune systems. These healthcare-associated staph infections include surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.
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Q. What does a Staph or MRSA infection look like?
A. Staph bacteria, including MRSA, can cause skin infections that may look like a pimple or boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or surgical wound infections.
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Q. What are the signs or symptoms of MRSA?
A. Signs of a skin infection vary. Skin infections can appear as a non-healing wound with red edges and discolored drainage or as a red swollen painful area on the skin that looks like a pimple or boil.
Q. How is MRSA transmitted?
A. MRSA is almost always spread by direct physical contact. Spread may also occur by touching objects (e.g., towels, clothes, workout areas or sports equipment) contaminated by an infected person.
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Q. How can I prevent Staph or MRSA skin infections?
A. Practice good hygiene:
Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 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 or razors.
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Q. Are Staph and MRSA infections treatable?
A. Yes. Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with antibiotics. If you are given an antibiotic, 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 unfinished antibiotics to use at another time.
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"The best defense against staph and MRSA is to practice good hygiene," said Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, MD, MBA, CPE. "Although these conditions are common and treatable, the Baltimore County Department of Health encourages everyone to practice frequent hand washing, especially with flu season approaching." |
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Q. How many cases is the County seeing now and what demographic information is available?
A. MRSA is only reportable as a cause of septicemia in newborns or in an outbreak. Baltimore County Department of Health (BCDH) Communicable Disease Division does not investigation single cases and is not investigating any outbreaks at this time.
Q. How many cases has the County investigated in the past?
A. No outbreaks of MRSA have been reported in the last two years.
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Q. What is the Baltimore County Department of Health doing to educate and prevent MRSA Infections?
A. BCDH has been assisting the school system in providing information to parents and the community. Communicable Disease Division staff is responding to inquiries as they are received from the public. Our agency continues to promote good hygiene and frequent hand washing practices, especially as we approach flu season.
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For additional information on steps to prevent skin infections, contact your medical provider or Baltimore County Public Schools, Office of Health Services at 410-887-6368.
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Revised October 19, 2007
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