ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
The recent death of a Virginia teen caused by a drug-resistant Staph infection has heightened concern among parents nationwide and has schools, hospitals and other institutions implementing or reviewing current infection controls processes.
The bacteria known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly pronounced "MeRSA", is a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics to include methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin, amoxicillin and others.
"There are two types of MRSA that we deal with in the medical community," said Col. (Dr.) Carl M. Lindquist, 79th Medical Wing infectious disease specialist and chief of operations. "There's the type that occurs among people in hospitals and health care facilities, which the medical community has been aware of and fighting against for decades. It accounts for about 85 percent of MRSA infections. The other type is acquired by people outside of the hospital or medical setting and is called CA-MRSA. It's become common over the past five years or so. Both of these though can be treated with alternate antibiotics."
Community-associated MRSA usually presents as a skin infection; a boil, abscess or misidentified as "spider-bites" in otherwise healthy people, said Dr. Lindquist.
"To be successful in causing an infection, the 'germ' needs to enter the body via some portal of entry, such as a cut or scrape," said Ms. Elaine Wilhelm-Hass, infection control officer, Malcolm Grow Medical Center. "If we keep cuts/scrapes clean and covered, then we close [that] entry door."
The CDC has investigated clusters of CA-MRSA skin infections among athletes, military recruits, and children, and determined factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections including: close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene.
"There are many, many organisms out there that are looking for an opportunity to make people sick and the strategies to thwart them are so simple," said Ms. Wilhelm-Hass. "If we don't keep clean, these 'germs' can live on the skin, clothes, or work/home surfaces for hours and/or weeks. A properly used hand sanitizer is also very effective in killing germs. It should be rubbed in the hands until completely dry."
Staph bacteria can be found on approximately 30 percent of the population at any time. "These people aren't sick and they're not infected, they just have the bacteria on their body," said Dr. Lindquist. "They can leave the bacteria behind in the environment for others to pick up and if that other person has a break in the skin, an infection can occur."
Most people recognize the signs of a localized infection: redness, swelling, draining-especially pus. If that infection spreads-especially if it gets into the blood, it can be severe or fatal, by causing a systemic or widespread infection. "The person with a serious, spreading infection will also exhibit advancing redness, fever, malaise as the body tries to fight off the infection," said Wilhelm-Hass.
MRSA can be picked up anywhere. Some settings have factors that make it easier for MRSA to be transmitted. These factors, referred to as the 5 C's, are as follows: Crowding, frequent skin-to-skin Contact, Compromised skin (i.e., cuts or abrasions), Contaminated items and surfaces, and lack of Cleanliness.
"Again, locations where the 5 C's are common include schools, dormitories, military barracks, households, correctional facilities, and daycare centers," stressed Ms. Wilhelm-Hass.
At the Child Development Center II, hand-washing and good-hygiene is part of the daily routine and curriculum.
"Our instructors talk about it and explain to the children the purpose of proper hand-washing," said Director, Cindy Stark. "It has become so that the children know when they come in from outside for example, to line up at the sink and not to use their hands but their elbows to cover coughs."
"We all need to do what we can to reduce risks of infection, not just MRSA but all infections and practicing good hygiene is key," said Dr. Lindquist. "Other protective measures are; to never share personal items like razors or towels and always cover open wounds, but if you develop what appears to be an infection, you should see your doctor."