MRSA hit our office this week.

[Dan.Linehan]

A guy at our office got MRSA at the gym this week, then accidentally gave it to his wife as well.

MRSA is a bacteria that causes staph infections that are resistant to most types of antibiotics. A superbug bacteria basically. The infections are nasty. MRSA killed more people than AIDS in 2007, it's telling we don't hear more about it on the news.

It's spread by surface contact, or skin-to-skin contact, so you can get it the same way you would get a common cold, or the flu. Wash your hands frequently, avoid rubbing your eyes and nose, etc.

[Dan.Linehan]

A few other things to think twice about.

Professional massages. MRSA can live on surfaces for months. If you are going to get a massage I would ask the parlor owners how they are cleaning the surfaces that multiple people come in contact with.

Pedicures and manicures. Since MRSA spreads from skin to skin contact, pedicures and manicures are a very easy way to get the infection. Make sure you know what sterilization techniques are being used at the salon you visit. See if they are using an autoclave.

Showers and saunas. Showers and saunas that are used by multiple people are ideal places for MRSA to thrive. Opening your pores at these places might not be the best idea.

Public transportation. Since MRSA can stay on surfaces for months, it's a good bet that you could pick it up from taking the bus or a taxi. I am not advocating being overly paranoid, but I would say you should be conscious about not rubbing your eyes when using public transportation, and to make sure to wash your hands as soon as you reach your destination.

Sex. The definition of safe sex has now changed. Since MRSA can be picked up from skin contact, many people who were enabled to be more promiscuous through the use of condoms were the first to pick up staph infections. Showers before and after sex are definitely a great idea here.

[MattFYF]

Can your body fight off MRSA like it could a cold or the flu, before it goes into a serious infection? Or does MRSA 'stay' inside or a person until it somehow flares up and causes serious problems?

[Kaspian]

Originally Posted by MattFYF

Can your body fight off MRSA like it could a cold or the flu, before it goes into a serious infection? Or does MRSA 'stay' inside or a person until it somehow flares up and causes serious problems?

I took a biology class in college where we did an experiment to test for antibiotic resistant bacteria. Each of us took a Q-tip and swabbed the skin near our noses, then smeared the swab on a petri dish. If I remember correctly, each dish had a drop of a different antibiotic in the center.

The TA incubated the dishes for a week, and when we saw them next, most dishes had a ring of bacteria around the antibiotic in the center. A smaller ring in the center meant the bacteria was more resistant. My lab partner had one dish with bacteria that were totally resistant to one of the antibiotics—they filled the dish completely.

What does this mean? We have bacteria living on us all the time, and sometimes it's already drug resistant. If we are healthy, it's often not a problem.


In light of this thread, I thought this newspaper article was interesting:

Potentially fatal bacteria found in pigs, farmworkers

[MattFYF]

That's interesting. I guess there's always something to be afraid of, if you let it get to you. Interesting that all that MRSA would be found in the pigs, though!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by MattFYF

Can your body fight off MRSA like it could a cold or the flu, before it goes into a serious infection? Or does MRSA 'stay' inside or a person until it somehow flares up and causes serious problems?

I've been avoiding this thread because I have personal experience of someone dying from MRSA...a baby in my family.

If I remember correctly, I was told that some people can be carriers and not get sick. Kind of like with strep throat. But, if you get MRSA it's likely to kill you, even if you are healthy to begin with. It's a superbug that's resistant to antibiotics. I do think that they have formulated a couple of drugs that can help now.

But my concern is that we have made our world so antiseptic that it's just a matter of time before even stronger superbugs appear.