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4 Things We Want You to Know About MRSA (Staph Infections)
You cut your finger and apply a little bit of antibiotic ointment to ward off infection. Or, perhaps you have an internal infection, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), and you take a quick round of oral antibiotics to clear it up. Easy, right?
Well, what if you become infected by something that doesn’t respond well to antibiotic treatment? This challenge does exist and it’s called a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, or staph infection for short. In 2017, there were more than 119,000 staph infections in the United States that claimed 20,000 lives.
At Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County, Dr. Thomas Rambacher and his team deal primarily with wound care, with an eye toward preventing and managing infection. So, we’re more than a little familiar with the challenges that MRSA infections present and we want to share some of what we know here.
1. Where staph infections come from
Many of us carry Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in our noses or on our skin and we’re none the wiser. In fact, about 33% of people have S. aureus bacteria in their noses, usually without any illness.
This type of bacteria is typically found in communal healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes, where infectious bacteria tend to be more prevalent. Not to mention, these environments are also where the bacteria have built up resistance thanks to greater exposure to antibiotics.
2. Why MRSA infections are tricky
As we mentioned, the reason why we’re so concerned about staph infections is that these bacteria have built up a resistance to antibiotics. While the name MRSA includes a particular antibiotic — methicillin — they also resist other antibiotics that are commonly used, such as amoxicillin and ampicillin.
3. Types of staph infections
There are several types of infections that can stem from MRSA, including:
- Pneumonia
- Bloodstream infections
- Bone infections
- Sepsis — a bad response from your body to an infection
- Endocarditis — inflammation in your heart
From our perspective, we’re mostly concerned with skin and bone infections that develop in your lower legs, ankles, and feet.
4. MRSA infections and diabetes
Staph infections among the millions of people with diabetes are a large threat. One study found antibiotic-resistant bacteria thrive in glucose-rich environments (think uncontrolled diabetes) and they become particularly virulent.
As a result, for the one-third of people with diabetes who develop a foot or lower leg ulcer, MRSA is usually a contributing factor and one that can threaten the entire lower limb.
This is why it’s so important to address diabetic foot ulcers in their earliest stages. If we can get in there and treat the problem before MRSA invades and takes hold, your prognosis is exponentially better.
The bottom line is that MRSA can make fighting infection challenging, but certainly not impossible, if you have the right team in your corner.
If you’d like to learn more about MRSA and what steps you can take to avoid these potentially serious infections, please feel free to contact our office in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-832-6018 or request an appointment online today.