MRSA

Important Information about Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA):

 Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a common bacterium that many healthy people carry on their skin or in their nose without symptoms. MRSA is a strain of staph that has developed antibiotic resistance (is not killed by the usual antibiotics for treatment of staph infections). Staph is spread from person to person by direct skin-to-skin contact or by indirect contact with surfaces and objects contaminated with the bacteria.

 Staph infections begin abruptly. Symptoms include redness, warmth, pain, swelling and formation of boils or blisters. If left untreated, the infection can deepen into tissues, blood, and bone causing severe illness and hospitalization.

 Members of the TWU community should take precautions to help prevent serious skin infections:

  •  Keep cuts and scrapes clean with soap and warm water

  • Frequently wash hands with soap and warm water

  • Avoid contacting other people’s infections or items they may have contaminated with their infection
  • Examples of commonly shared items that can spread infection include towels, soap, benches in hot tubs, and athletic equipment
  • Avoid sharing personal items such as razors, deodorant, or make-up
  • Clean and disinfect athletic and gym equipment before using
  • Wash dirty clothes, towels, and linens in hot water and detergent and dry in a hot dryer
  • Shower immediately after participating in contact sports
  • Keep open or draining sores covered with a bandage and wash hands with soap and warm water before and after changing bandages.
  • Skin infections that seem unusual (larger, more painful, more persistent) in any way should be evaluated by a healthcare provider

 For more information call Student Health Services at 940-898-3826 or visit these websites:

  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html       

  www.mrsaTexas.org

  www.webmd.com

  http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-mrsa-methicillin-resistant-staphylococcus-aureus

 Adapted from the Texas Department of State Health Services