Increase text size: A A A

Type in the condition you need,
or visit Advanced Search

Claim your FREE Healthy Living Health Alerts today

Get the latest news on diet, nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle topics to help you maintain optimal wellness. Get your FREE Healthy Living Health Alerts. Check the “Healthy Living” box below, enter your email address, and click "Send." (Need other health news? Check as many boxes as you like for more FREE Health Alerts.) Benefits of Being A Registered User

Anxiety

Diabetes

Hypertension

Prostate Cancer

Arthritis

Digestion

Lung

Prostatitis

Back Pain

Enlarged Prostate (BPH)

Memory

Stroke

Colon Cancer

Healthy Living

Nutrition

Vision

Depression

Heart

Prescription Drugs

Weight Control

Enter your email here: (Example: yourname@domain.com)
Please send my alerts as: HTML Text

We value your privacy and will never share your email address. Already a Member? Manage your Health Alerts

Print this page

Email this to a friend

Comment on this page

Save to my Health Library

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

The Facts on Super-Staph

Worried about MRSA? In this Health Alert, Dr. Michele F. Belantoni explains why this antibiotic-resistant staph infection is so hard to treat and provides advice to help you avoid it.

Until recently, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, had been confined mostly to health care facilities. But now, some healthy adults and children are contracting this potentially fatal staph infection, which can "eat" the skin and attack vital organs. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MRSA killed more Americans than AIDS in 2005.

"When someone comes into contact with MRSA, it 'colonizes' the skin and inner nose," explains Michele F. Belantoni, M.D., Director of Johns Hopkins Bayview Care Center. "Generally, the staph infection causes no harm; however, when people exposed to the bacteria get deep cuts or undergo surgery, infections may develop."

Most staph infections start as painful pimples or boils. MRSA is difficult to treat because it produces more inflammatory toxins than other staph infections, and it doesn't respond to conventional medications like penicillins or several other antibiotics. Risk factors include hospitalization within the past year (particularly for surgery), residence in a long-term care facility, frequent antibiotic use, and casual contact with intravenous-drug users. Some people also have contracted MRSA from sharing gym equipment or playing contact sports. To reduce your risk of the MRSA staph infection:

  • Keep abrasions on your skin clean, dry, and covered and avoid handling other people's wounds;
  • Don't share personal items like towels or razors;
  • Use flip-flops in public showers;
  • Put clean towels over the handle-bars of exercise machines;
  • Wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer several times each day; and,
  • Don't be afraid to ask healthcare providers to wash their hands and wipe their stethoscopes before treating you.

To prevent further development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, avoid taking antibiotics unnecessarily for viruses like colds. Above all, don't panic: You should not stay away from the hospital to avoid the MRSA staph infection. It's been around for decades, and many drugs -- like tetracyclines, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, rifampin, and linezolid -- can still kill the bacterium, particularly when detected early.

Posted in Healthy Living on December 17, 2008
Reviewed July 2009

Notify Me

Would you like us to inform you when we post new Healthy Living Health Alerts?

Your email address:

Comments

Post a Comment

Health Alerts registered users may post comments and share experiences here at their own discretion. We regret that questions on individual health concerns to the Johns Hopkins editors cannot be answered in this space.

The views expressed here do not constitute medical advice, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins Medicine or MediZine LLC, which has no responsibility for any comments posted on this site.


My aunt just died of MRSA at Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach, Florida. She went in for lung cancer surgery- which was "successful" only to die a slow, difficult death within weeks. It was a nightmare. We noticed that some of the health care workers weren't particualarly careful about washing hands, etc. One woman who was trying (unsuccessfully) to draw blood from my aunt, broke through her glove with a sharp fingernail. She allowed the tip of the glove to fall to the floor, and continued trying to jab a vein without regloving. The sad part is that had my aunt opted for radiation, she would still be here- at least for years more! What a tragedy.

Posted by: tawna1 | December 27, 2008

Tawna1, I am so sorry about your aunt. I was and am blessed to have survided the MRSA,I was also septic. Which means my organs were shutting down. I was blessed to have the best Drs. My Pulmonoglist and infecticous drs, worked together to get me the right meds. To fight this nasty and I do mean nasty MRSA you have to have differant types of meds. IV Vacomycyin and A anti fungel IV for months. My Dr had the Incite to treat me with a antibiotic also for TB, which backed up the other meds.I am truly sorry for your Aunt, Her body thru hell . The good thing about all this with her now. Is She Is Not in anymore PAIN. When it comes to it, thats what matters most. I know you miss her. Time will heal.... Keep good memories.Remember her laugh and the things she laughed at, and you laugh at those things to. It brings joy to life. After all God did say, Life I give you. Not sorrow or pain. But Life and life more abundantly. Life is for the living.. So please enjoy your life.. Its more important then you will even know.What we leave behind, is the future of those we love. Kim

Posted by: JesusNMeLov | January 17, 2009

My wife and I have contracted (how I don't know) MRSA. We have undergone anti-biotics, nasal medicine, and body scrub prescribed by our Doctor. We do NOT have any open infections at this time after doing the above.

My questions are;

"Are we carriers of MRSA"?

Can we be completely rid of this infection?

Our Daughter is pregnant, must we worry about infecting her or her baby?

Does MRSA go into our internal Organs, sinus's, etc., and should we be concerned?

Not alot of answers have been forthcoming from our Doctor who is John's Hopkins affiliated!

If someone who reads this and knows the answers could post a reply, I would appreciate it.

Posted by: dabende | January 30, 2010



Post a Comment


Already a subscriber?
Login

Email:

Password:


Forgot your password?

New to Johns Hopkins Health Alerts?
Register to submit your comments.

Your Email Address:

(example: yourname@domain.com)

 

(800) 829-0422

Registered Users Log-in:

Email:

Password:

Remember me
Forgot Password?

Become a Registered User!
It's fast and FREE!
The Benefits of Being A Registered User

Health Topic Pages

Arthritis
Back Pain & Osteoporosis
Cancer
Caregivers | Caregiving
Colon Cancer
Complementary Medicine
Depression & Anxiety
Diabetes
Digestive Health
Enlarged Prostate
Exercise and Fitness
Healthy Living
Heart Health
Hypertension & Stroke
Lung Disorders
Memory
Men's Health
Nutrition
Prescription Drugs
Prostate Disorders
Sexual Health
Vision
Weight Control
Women's Health
Health Alert Special Report


ALL NEW!Number One of America's Best Hospitals 2009: Johns Hopkins

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been ranked #1 again in the Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals by
U.S. News and World Report for the 19th consecutive year.


Please visit here for more information about Johns Hopkins Patient Services


Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician.


Get Johns Hopkins Health After 50 RISK-FREE...
Act now and also receive 2 FREE Johns Hopkins
Special Reports!




Yes! Please send me my FREE trial issue of Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50. If I like it and decide to continue, I'll pay just $15.00, and receive a full one-year subscription (12 issues in all), a 46% savings off the regular price.

Otherwise, I'll write "Cancel" on the invoice and owe nothing. The free trial issue is mine to keep.

Health After 50 serves as a knowledgeable filter, helping you sift through the headline stories to determine what is important and what is true. Our Hopkins make sure you're among the first to read about important health news that may not reach the popular media for months or even years. You will find it friendly, easy to read, written in plain English, and FREE of any commercial ties to drug companies. Order your FREE trial issue NOW.

PAY NOW AND GET AN ADDED BONUS!

Click here for details:


Risk-FREE!
Fill out the form and click "Submit my order."

First Name

Last Name

Address

Address2

City

State

Zip

Email Address (required)



CANADIAN ORDERS, click here
INTERNATIONAL ORDERS, click here

Please send me free Johns Hopkins Healthy Living Alerts!

Your FREE issue. It's yours without cost or obligation.

Only by private subscription. Don't bother looking for Health After 50 on the newsstand. It is available only by private subscription, delivered directly to you.

Special "friend's discount." If Health After 50 speaks directly to your individual health concerns, as we predict it will, you may subscribe for only $15 for the whole year (11 more issues.) This special rate saves you 46% off the regular cost. If not thrilled, simply return the invoice marked "cancel", keep your free issue, and owe nothing.

If you choose the "Pay Now" option, you will also receive two FREE Special Reports: The Heart Attack Prevention Checklist AND Tools for Diagnosing and Combating Memory Problems. Even if you cancel your subscription, you may keep these two FREE Special Reports along with your FREE trial issue just for reviewing Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50.

Why Johns Hopkins?


© 2010 MediZine LLC. All rights reserved.
Contact Us
customerservice@johnshopkinshealthalerts.com