Causative & risk factors
Even under normal circumstances, staphylococcal bacteria are found on the skin and in the nasal mucosa of several people. They can only produce an infection when they enter the body tissues through an opening, such as a cut.
Whenever a staphylococcal infection does occur, most doctors prescribe antibiotics, which do not work many a time. Due to unregulated and unnecessary antibiotic use, the bacteria adapt to those specific antibiotics and stop responding to its action. When a staphylococcal infection occurs with a strain of staph that is resistant to the drug ‘methicillin’, the condition is known as MSRA infection.
There are 2 strains of MSRA; hospital acquired (HA-MSRA) and community acquired (CA-MSRA).
Health care-associated MRSA occurs in nursing homes or hospitals as a result of medical procedures or devices.
Community-associated MRSA occurs as due to direct skin-to-skin contact of a healthy person with an infected person. It occurs more commonly in people who live in crowded communities under unhygienic conditions.
Clinical presentation
MRSA usually gives rise to a skin infection. They produce raised lesions such as boils, which may later progress to form abscesses. From the skin, these bacteria can spread to the bones, lungs, blood and heart and cause infection there.
Investigations
When the respiratory tract is affected, the nasal discharge is sent for culture examination. In case of skin lesions, a biopsy can be performed.
Treatment
Even though the MRSA bacteria are resistant to methicillin, they may still respond to certain other antibiotics. If abscesses are present, an incision and drainage may be performed.
