[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/mrsa-infections-signs-symptoms\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/mrsa-infections-signs-symptoms\/","headline":"MRSA Infections: Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment","name":"MRSA Infections: Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment","description":"While MRSA infections can be serious, you can take steps to keep yourself safe. Learn more about MRSA, including symptoms and treatment.","datePublished":"2017-06-13","dateModified":"2021-01-11","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/primary-care-regions","name":"Primary Care","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/primary-care-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/primary-care\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/06132017BLG_MRSAINFECTIONS.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/06132017BLG_MRSAINFECTIONS.jpg","height":325,"width":751},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/mrsa-infections-signs-symptoms\/","about":["Cold and Flu","Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":653,"keywords":["antibiotics","infection","MRSA"],"articleBody":"Updated January 11, 2021Just three decades ago, few people had heard of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of bacteria that\u2019s resistant to many antibiotics.But today, the acronym MRSA can strike fear in anyone who has seen news reports about this potentially life-threatening infection.While it\u2019s true that some MRSA infections can be serious, you can take steps to keep yourself safe.What Is MRSA?“About 2 percent of Americans chronically carry MRSA. This type of staph bacteria is the result of antibiotic overuse,” said Rebecca Simcik, DO, Greater Pittsburgh Medical Associates-UPMC.When antibiotic drugs are overprescribed, bacteria have the chance to evolve to resist them. Infections that were once simple to treat can now survive and become much more serious \u2014 even deadly, in some cases.\u201cIt’s important to take antibiotics only when necessary. Often your doctor won’t recommend antibiotics, especially for things like viral respiratory infections,\u201d Dr. Simick said. \u201cReducing antibiotic use and regular handwashing are two key ways to help prevent MRSA infections.”Staphylococcus AureusStaphylococcus aureus is a common type of staph bacteria. In fact, it’s on the skin and in the nose in nearly one-third of the general population.Staph bacteria can be harmless unless they enter the body, often through:ScrapesCutsOther small woundsOnce inside your skin, staph can cause minor infections in healthy people.MRSA Risk Factors and SymptomsMRSA can spread from person to person, either through skin-to-skin contact or by sharing personal items, such as towels or razors.Infections with these bacteria are more common in areas where people share close quarters, such as:HospitalsSchoolsLocker roomsMilitary housingOther risk factors for MRSA include:Contact sportsProlonged hospitalizationInvasive proceduresHIV infectionOpen woundsMRSA symptomsAs with other staph infections, MRSA can cause a bump or infected area on the skin. On and around the bump, MRSA may create the following symptoms:RednessSwellingPainful, tender skin on and around the bumpBump full of pus or drainageSkin that feels hot to touchSome people with MRSA infections mistake them for spider bites.But, you should always call your doctor if you have these symptoms. He or she will need to run tests. Doctors can’t diagnose MRSA infections just by looking at them.Left untreated, MRSA infections can quickly turn into deep abscesses or cause severe, possibly fatal infections of the blood, bone, and organs.Diagnosing MRSAYour doctor can diagnose you with MRSA by testing a tissue or nasal secretion sample. The provided sample is then sent to a lab where it is tested for signs of drug-resistant bacteria. The testing takes about 48 hours, but newer tests are able to provide results after just a few hours.If you have MRSA, your doctor may try to drain the abscess to stop the infection. He or she may also prescribe specialized antibiotics.Ways to prevent the spread of MRSA\u201cReducing antibiotic use and regular handwashing are two key ways to help prevent MRSA infections,” Dr. Simick said.You can take steps to control MRSA and prevent it from spreading:Keep the wound clean and covered until it has healed.Don\u2019t try to pop, pick, or drain the sore on your own. You could spread the infection to other parts of your body.Wash your hands thoroughly and often.Don\u2019t share personal items, such as towels, razors, and clothing.Wash sheets, towels, and clothes with laundry detergent and dry them in a clothes dryer.MRSA TreatmentMost strains of MRSA can still respond to and be stopped by certain antibiotics. If the bump caused by MRSA gets large enough, it may need to be drained in emergency surgery in addition to antibiotics.In some cases, fighting MRSA with more antibiotics is not necessary. Doctors may be able to drain a smaller boil caused by MRSA and may not need to provide additional antibiotics."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2017","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"06","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/\/06\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"MRSA Infections: Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/mrsa-infections-signs-symptoms\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]