World MRSA Day was initiated, created and announced in January 2009 by Jeanine Thomas, President and Founder of MRSA Survivors Network and is the official organiser for World MRSA Day. Jeanine Thomas founded MRSA Survivors Network in 2003 (a non-profit organisation) and was the first advocacy group in the U.S. to raise the alarm about the MRSA epidemic and other healthcare-acquired infections.

With the creation of World MRSA Day, the hope is to raise the awareness of MRSA around the globe and to activate survivors, communities, governments, healthcare officials and personnel to join together to stop the spread of this preventable disease.

What is MRSA?

MRSA is a type of bacteria that’s resistant to a number of widely used antibiotics.  This means MRSA infections can be more difficult to treat than other bacterial infections.

The full name of MRSA is Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus Aureus. It is often call a ‘superbug’.

Staphylococcus Aureus (also known as ‘Staph’ is a common type of bacteria.  It’s often carried on the skin and inside the nostrils and throat, and can cause mild infections of the skin, such as boils and impetigo (a skin infection forming pustules and yellow crusty sores).

If the bacteria get into a break in the skin, they can cause life-threatening infections, such as blood poisoning or the heart infection, endocarditis (this is a heart infection and can be life threatening).

How do you get MRSA?

MRSA bacteria are usually spread through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an MRSA infection or has the bacteria living on their skin.

The bacteria can also be spread through contact with contaminated objects such as towels, sheets, clothes, dressings, surfaces, door handles and floors.

People staying in a hospital are most at risk of becoming infected with MRSA because:

• They’re surrounded by a larger number of people, which means the bacteria can spread more easily
• They often have an entry point for the bacteria to get into their body, such as a surgical wound or urinary catheter
• They may have serious or complex health problems, which makes them more vulnerable to infection

It’s also possible to become infected with MRSA outside of hospital, although this is much less common.

Preventing MRSA

In recent years, rates of MRSA have fallen because of increased awareness of the infection by both medical staff and the public.  However, MRSA still places a considerable strain on healthcare services.

Some people who need to be admitted to hospital will have MRSA screening beforehand, but there are also some things you can do yourself to reduce your risk of becoming infected.  These include:

• Washing your hands frequently – especially after using the toilet and before and after eating
• Following any advice, you’re given about wound care and devices that could lead to infection (such as urinary catheters)
• Reporting any unclean toilet or bathroom facilities to staff – don’t be afraid to talk to staff if you’re concerned about hygiene.

If you are visiting someone in hospital, you can reduce the chance of spreading MRSA by cleaning your hands before and after entering the ward.  You should also use hand wipes or hand gel before touching the person you’re visiting.

Screening for MRSA

Some patients admitted to hospital for planned or emergency care are screened to see if they carry MRSA on their skin.  This helps to reduce the chance of patients developing MRSA infection or passing an infection on to other patients.

During the screening process, a cotton bud (swab) will be run over your skin, so it can be checked for MRSA bacteria.  Swabs may be taken from different places, such as the inside of your nose, your throat, armpit, groin and any areas of damaged or open skin.

 If MRSA bacteria are found, treatment with an antibacterial bodywash, or shampoo or nasal cream to remove the bacteria from your skin will usually need to be carried out before you’re admitted.

Treating MRSA Infections

Although MRSA infections can be more difficult to treat than other bacterial infections they’re still treatable because the MRSA bacteria aren’t resistant to all antibiotics.

Minor skin infections may not always require any treatment, other than draining away any pus from the site of the infection, but in most other cases you’ll be treated with antibiotics that MRSA has not yet developed resistance to.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, antibiotic tablets will be used and you may need to have a combination of antibiotics or take types of antibiotics that are rarely used for less serious infections.

 However, MRSA can start as a small infection, but if not treated, can become life changing or life threatening!