Staphylococcus aureus(staph) is one of the most common bacterial organisms that reside on theskin.
Because the only difference is the antibiotic sensitivity, a typical staph infection is referred to as methicillin-sensitiveStaphylococcus aureus.
What Is MRSA?
Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health
MRSA is a strain ofStaphylococcus aureusthat is resistant to certain antibiotics, specifically methicillin, which is similar topenicillin.
Skin infections cause:
Deeper skin infections can formabscessesthat drain pus.
Severe skin infections can also be associated withfever.
Causes
Antibiotic-resistant organisms were previously only common inhealthcare settingssuch as hospitals and nursing homes.
However, MRSA has spread outside healthcare controls and is widely prevalent in the general community.
MRSA is also transmitted by sharing needles used to inject drugs or medications.
People who inject drugs are 16 times more likely to develop a severe staph infection than the general public.
Complex or severe infections require intravenous (IV) therapy with vancomycin ordaptomycin.
If you suspect a staph infection, a healthcare provider should evaluate it and determine whether treatment is necessary.
What to Do If You Do Have MRSA
Like MSSA, MRSA is contagious.
Staph can also be ingested and lead to gastrointestinal illnesses associated with vomiting anddiarrhea.
The infection is otherwise the same as any other staph infection.
MRSA treatment requires certain antibiotics that the organism is not resistant to.
However, MRSA is treatable with several different antibiotics.
Frequently Asked Questions
MRSA looks the same as any other staph infection.
Skin infections present with redness, swelling, warmth, and pain.
Sometimes there is a yellow crust around pimples.
MRSA abscesses will be significantly swollen and soft in the middle with pus inside.
Healing time depends on the pop in of MRSA infection.
However, a deeper heart or blood condition requires several weeks of treatment.
Staph bacteria can survive on linens for days to weeks.
One study showed that staph could survive on dry surfaces like doorknobs for months.
Therefore, all woundsincluding those due to MRSAitch when they are healing.
MRSA is contagious as long as the bacterium is still causing an infection.
Therefore, a person is potentially contagious until the wound heals.
It’s essential to keep wounds covered to avoid spreading bacteria to other people.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.MRSA: general information.
A systematic review.BMC Infect Dis.
2011;52(3):e18-e55.
