MRSA - What it is, Where To Find It, How To Treat It

MRSA (Methicillan-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, pronounced “meth-eh-sill-an staff-ill-o-cock-us or-ee-us”) is a type of bacteria that can cause infections in humans that are often difficult to treat.

MRSA is a highly virulent form of staph infection that resists most treatment with antibiotics—it is thought to have evolved the ability to survive treatment due to overuse of antibiotics.

It can be found all around us, including some places you wouldn’t commonly think to look. For instance, several years ago I conducted a study concurrent with the St. Louis Rams to determine the sources of MRSA infections in our players. We both suspected it may be coming from the Astroturf, but were surprised to discover the real sources:

· Under the rails on the treatment tubs

· On the door frames outside the restrooms

No other surfaces grew it, and no cultures grew from the Astroturf.

After the study, it became clear that it was necessary to sanitize exposed surfaces in the locker rooms, restrooms and treatment areas—doorframes and rails were sanitized against staph with bleach.

As the head team orthopedic surgeon for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, I treat all kinds of sports injuries, including MRSA and normal Staph infections. We take all wounds very seriously and treat them with topical antibiotics, such as over the counter bactroban, after thoroughly cleaning the wound with soap and water or alcohol in an effort to destroy as much bacteria as possible. Soap can break down the cell wall while the water reduces the number of bacteria on the skin by simple dilution. The alcohol also kills the bacteria. Then we closely monitor the wound to make sure it is getting better and that specific antibiotics will not be needed to treat resistant bacteria.

How Do I Know If I Have A MRSA Infection Or Normal Staph Infection?

The only way to tell if you have a MRSA infection versus a regular Staph infection is to check for response to antibiotics. Regular Staph infections, known as Methicillin-sensitive Staph aureus or MSSA, are drug-sensitive and easier to treat. Because it’s so difficult to tell which kind of infection you have, it’s important to treat any Staph infection topically as well as with the usual antibiotics. Treat the wound topically with antibacterial ointment such as bactroban or Neosporin after cleaning the wound and let your doctor look at it.

Keep in mind that if you’re commonly in areas, such as locker rooms, where Staph bacteria are prevalent, you may have it on your skin, and a small puncture can lead to an infection. It’s important to wash your hands and clean around even small scrapes sustained on the field.