Health Care associated MRSA Information

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an infection caused by a type of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, or staph) that no longer responds to common antibiotic medicines (drug-resistant bacteria).

Health care–associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) is an infection that you get during a stay in a hospital, rehabilitation facility, nursing home, or other health care facility.

Most times, MRSA can be on the skin or in the nose without causing problems. However, if MRSA enters the body through a cut or sore, it can cause a serious infection, such as:

• Skin infections.
• Bone or joint infections.
• Pneumonia.
• Bloodstream infections (sepsis).

MRSA can be hard to treat and can spread quickly. This is why you may be screened for MRSA on your skin or in your nose when you are admitted to a health care facility.

What increases the risk for HA-MRSA?

You may be more likely to get HA-MRSA if you:

• Had recent or frequent contact with health care facilities within the past year.
• Had a prolonged hospital stay, especially in an intensive care unit or burn unit.
• Have been on antibiotics.
• Had a surgery or procedure.
• Usually carry MRSA in your nose without developing illness.
• Are on kidney dialysis.
• Have a short-term or long-term vascular access device, such as a catheter or IV tube.
• Have a weakened body defense system (immune system).

How is HA-MRSA prevented?

Your health care team will take steps to help prevent the spread of MRSA, including:

• Prescribing antibiotics only when needed.
• Avoiding exposure to blood or body fluids through:
  • Wearing gloves when working with patients. Different pairs of gloves will be used for each patient.
  • Washing hands after touching blood, body fluids, or other contaminated items.
  • Washing hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer every time they enter or leave a patient room.
  • Using mouth, nose, and eye protection during procedures or regular patient care.
  • Wearing a gown during procedures or regular patient care.
• Properly disposing of single-use patient equipment, such as needles or bandages.
• Disinfecting reusable equipment and surfaces in patient rooms.
• Handling soiled laundry in sealed plastic bags.
• Using contact precautions when there are known cases of MRSA in the facility.
• Treating known cases of MRSA infections with:
  • Surgery to drain the infected area.
  • Antibiotics that are given through a vein or by mouth.

What are contact precautions?

Contact precautions are safety measures your health care team may take to prevent the spread of HA-MRSA among hospital staff and visitors.

You may be placed on contact precautions if:

• You were admitted to the hospital with a known MRSA infection.
• You have a confirmed case of MRSA and there are other cases in the health care facility.
• You have a confirmed case of MRSA and have a draining wound, diarrhea, or other uncontrolled draining of bodily fluids.

Contact precautions may vary based on facility policies. You may be taken off contact precautions depending on your overall health and the policies of the facility. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about contact precautions.

Follow these instructions at home:

Before you leave the hospital, your health care team will explain how to take care of yourself at home. After leaving the hospital, make sure you follow these instructions.

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Take your antibiotic medicine as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.

Lifestyle

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Ask anyone who lives with you to wash his or her hands often, too. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Do not use towels, razors, toothbrushes, bedding, or other items that will be used by others.
• Avoid close contact with others as much as possible.
• Wash towels, bedding, and clothes in the washing machine with detergent and hot water. Dry them in a hot dryer.
• Always shower after playing sports or exercising.

General instructions

• If you have a wound, follow instructions from your health care provider about how to take care of your wound. Make sure you:
  • Wash your hands with soap and water before you change your bandage (dressing). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Change your dressing as told by your health care provider.
  • Leave any stitches (sutures), skin glue, or adhesive strips in place. These skin closures may need to be in place for 2 weeks or longer. If adhesive strip edges start to loosen and curl up, you may trim the loose edges. Do not remove adhesive strips completely unless your health care provider tells you to do that.
• Tell all health care providers who care for you if you know that you have MRSA.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if you have:

• An infection on your skin, such as:
  • A pus-filled pimple or boil.
  • A sore (abscess) under your skin or somewhere in your body.
• Signs of infection after a recent procedure, including:
  • Warmth, redness, or tenderness around your incision site.
  • A red line that spreads from your incision.
  • Incision drainage that is tan, yellow, or green.
  • A bad smell coming from your incision or bandage (dressing).

Get help right away if you have:

• A skin infection and fever and chills.
• Nausea or vomiting, or you cannot take medicine without vomiting.
• Trouble breathing.
• Chest pain.

Summary

• MRSA is an infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteriathat does not respond to common antibiotic medicines.
• Health care–associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) is an infection that you get during a stay in a hospital, rehabilitation facility, nursing home, or other health care facility.
• Your health care team may take steps to prevent the spread of HA-MRSA among hospital staff and visitors. These safety measures are called contact precautions.
• Make sure you know the signs of a MRSA infection and when to contact a health care provider.