Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that can cause a wide range of diseases in humans. It is a type of staph bacteria that’s immune to most antibiotics. MRSA is unique form of staph because certain antibiotics can’t treat it. MRSA becomes resistant to antibiotics if given enough time. MRSA bacteria is likely to grow when antibiotics are used too much or not properly.
History
MRSA was first identified in 1961 by British scientists. By the 1970s, MRSA had spread all over Europe The first case of MRSA reported in the U.S. was in 1968. MRSA had then spread all over the U.S. in the 1980s. Since then, MRSA rates has increased rapidly to 60% in some areas of our country. MRSA broke out of the hospital setting in the …show more content…
The easiest way of transmission is from the hands of someone with MRSA. MRSA is normally not spread through the air like a usual cold. MRSA that is evolved in a hospital is called healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. These infections are spread by wounds, burns, and IV’s entering the body. MRSA use to only infect humans who were ill, but now the disease has become more commonly found in healthy humans too. The disease is occurring more among humans who have cuts, scratches, or wounds. People can also get the disease by having close contact with somebody, especially with people on sports teams. This type of MRSA is classified as community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or CA-MRSA for short.
Diagnosis
To diagnose MRSA, a sample is collected and taken to the microbiology lab for testing. If MRSA is detected, the disease should be tested more to figure out which antibiotics would be most effective for treatment. Doctors normally diagnosis MRSA by checking a nasal secretion or tissue sample for signs of drug-resistant bacteria. Today’s diagnosis can detect staph DNA in a matter of hours in a lab. …show more content…
This isn’t a great treatment because of MRSA’s antibiotic resistance. Labs get around MRSA’s resistance by combining antibiotics suitable for the patient’s health. The only downfall of this is that the antibiotic sensitivities of the patient has to be tested to determine if the antibiotics can be used. These tests could take several days until a result can be determined. Doctors warn patients not to stop using prescribed antibiotics to treat their MRSA until a doctor has determined the infections has been cleared. Stopping a treatment can lead to the MRSA growing larger and more resistant to the antibiotics used.
Prevention
To prevent MRSA from spreading from a victim to someone else, the victim is put into isolation for further spreading. When dealing with patients who have MRSA, doctors and nurses might wear protective gear to prevent contamination. To prevent getting MRSA, people need to wash their hands, keep wounds covered, keep personal items to your use only, and bathe after exercising.
Current Research
As of now, NIAID funds translational and basic research with the goal to discover and advertise enhanced diagnostics, better treatments, and new medicines that are effective against MRSA. Everybody should know how MRSA is spreading by the increasing way it’s getting into to community settings. Many doctors and facilities like University of Chicago's are still working to find a better treatment for