Carrying the MRSA superbug can be a potential problem if you are going into hospital for a treatment or visiting someone in hospital. Know before you go, and you can treat the infection before it causes illness.
Overview
What is MRSA?
It is a type of bacteria that usually lives harmlessly in the nose, armpits, groin or buttocks.
How does MRSA cause problems?
Usually MRSA is harmless, but where it can enter the body, and where immune systems are weak, it can cause swelling and redness of the skin; dizziness, aches and pains, and even, rarely, death.
Why is it called a superbug?
Because several types of antibiotic will have little or no effect on it. Although some antibiotics will be effective, MRSA has proved harder to treat.
How do I get tested?
Book a simple blood test now.
Did You Know?
Estimates vary, but studies show MRSA lives on the skin of between 1 in 10 and 1 in 30 people.
What is MRSA?
MRSA is the name given to a group of bacteria which live on the skin of millions of people in the UK. The bacteria form colonies in the nose, the armpits, the groin and buttocks, and can exist harmlessly for years.
MRSA can be passed from person to person through touch, through sharing clothes, towels or bedclothes, and through contact with surfaces that have MRSA on them.
Why is MRSA referred to as a superbug?
Most bacteria can be treated with antibiotics. MRSA is resistant to several types of antibiotic, so whilst some remain effective against it, it is much harder to treat.
Between 1993 and 2002, UK deaths linked to MRSA infection increased 15-fold, although tighter hygiene controls have since seen significant reductions. During this time MRSA gained its reputation as a superbug.
How can I catch MRSA infection?
Usually MRSA does not pose a threat to you or anyone you come into contact with. If, however, the MRSA finds a way to move deeper into your body it can cause infection, especially in people with weakened immune systems.
That iss why hospitals have proved an ideal breeding ground for MRSA. Patients are more likely to have weaker immune systems, and they are more likely to present ways for the MRSA to get into their bodies via wounds, drips, catheters etc.
What are the symptoms of MRSA infection?
On your skin MRSA will not cause any symptoms. Depending on how far beneath your skin and into the body the infection spreads, symptoms can include:
- Swelling and redness of the skin
- Warmth at the affected point
- Pus
- Aches and pains
- Fever (high temperature) or chills
- Dizziness and/or confusion
Although rare, MRSA-related deaths can occur.
Why is it important to diagnose MRSA?
If you are due to go into hospital for an operation, or if you are planning to visit someone in hospital, carrying MRSA on your skin can increase the chances of greater infection.
By testing for the existence of MRSA on your skin, you can take steps to reduce that risk.
How do I get tested?
To get tested, please contact Better2Know on the number above.