MRSA in children

I have worked at Memorial Children's Hosptital here in SB for 11 years now and we see more and more admissions for this very thing. MRSA can enter through your skin in any open cut or scratch. We are finding that many of our patients have never been hospitalized and that is why they have discovered community acquired MRSA now. . MRSA is a beast that has come about from overuse of medications and a mutation in the Staph bacteria which all of us carry on our skin. The drugs that were overused without warrant in the past has created this problem along with people not finishing their doses as well.

MRSA infection is an infection with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics known as beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin, amoxicillin, and penicillin.

Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) are common bacteria that normally live on the skin. The bacteria also live harmlessly in the nasal passages of roughly 30% of the U.S. population. Staph can cause infection when they enter the skin through a cut or sore. Infection can also occur when the bacteria move inside of the body through a catheter or breathing tube. The infection can be minor and local (for example, a pimple), or more serious.

Most staph infections occur in people with weak immune systems, usually patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. MRSA infections in hospitalized patients are known as healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). People who have been hospitalized or had surgery within the past year are at high risk for HA-MRSA. People receiving certain treatments, such as dialysis , are also at high risk . MRSA bacteria account for a large percentage of hospital-acquired staph infections.

Over the past several years, MRSA infections in people not considered high-risk have increased. These infections, known as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), occur in otherwise healthy people who have no history of hospitalization in the last year. Many such infections have occurred among athletes who share equipment or personal items (such as towels or razors) and children in daycare facilities.

Symptoms
Staph skin infections normally cause a red, swollen, and painful area on the skin. Other symptoms may include:

A skin abscess
Drainage of pus or other fluids from the site
Fever
Warmth around the infected area
Symptoms of a more serious staph infection may include:

Rash
Shortness of breath
Fever
Chills
Chest pain
Fatigue
Muscle aches
Malaise (general feeling of illness)
Headache

Treatment
Draining the abscess at the doctor's office is usually the only treatment needed for a local skin MRSA infection.

Few antibiotics are available to treat more serious MRSA infections. These include vancomycin (Vancocin, Vancoled), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Bactrim DS, Septra, Septra DS), and linezolid (Zyvox).

It is important to finish all doses of antibiotics you have been given, even if you feel better before the final dose. Unfinished doses can lead to development of drug resistance in the bacteria.

Other treatments may be given to for more serious infections. These treatments, given in the hospital, may include supplemental oxygen and intravenous medication. In cases of kidney failure, dialysis may be needed.

Prevention
Careful attention to personal hygiene is key to avoiding MRSA infections. Wash your hands frequently, especially if visiting someone in a hospital or long-term care facility. Do not share personal items such as towels or razors with another person -- MRSA can be transmitted through contaminated items. Cover all wounds with a clean bandage, and avoid contact with other people’s soiled bandages. If you share sporting equipment, clean it first with antiseptic solution.

Information from RIGHT HEALTH .com

Thanks for your thoughts!