Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA): Prevention and Treatment

Health Care-Associated MRSA

Facilities like hospitals, clinics, and other places delivering health care are often common sources for patients to pick up MRSA if they have weak immune systems. Patients and live-ins are susceptible if they have an open cut or wound or intravenous line under the skin, are older in age, or have multiple ailments or conditions leading to compromised immune systems. Simply being in contact with numerous individuals in the same area can increase the spread among workers and patients.

Community-Associated MRSA

Another major way of contracting MRSA is outside the hospital environment. This is less prevalent and consists of about fourteen percent of cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the individuals at risk are players of contact sports, those who live in communal housing, patients with cuts or who inject drugs with needles, or those in contact with facilities or objects contaminated with the bacteria.