Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

What Is MRSA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, otherwise called MRSA or superbug, is a group of bacteria that cause severe infections in humans and is difficult to treat. They are a genetically modified form of other staphylococcus aureus strains. Any strain of staphylococcus aureus can undergo genetic mutation and become resistant to multiple beta-lactam antibiotics, such as Methicillin, Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Oxacillin, and Cephalosporins. As these broad-spectrum antibiotics cannot treat infection caused by MRSA, it becomes challenging to treat.

What Is MRSA Infection?

MRSA can be found naturally in the nose, skin, and gut and does not cause infection under normal circumstances. When they start to multiply uncontrollably, it results in MRSA infection. They enter the body through a cut or an injury and are highly contagious through person-to-person contact or using or touching objects used by an infected person. This infection can be effectively treated with some antibiotics, even though it is resistant to most antibiotics.

MRSA infection commonly affects hospitalized patients or patients in other healthcare facilities, nursing homes, or dialysis centers. When a patient acquires this infection in a hospital through surgeries, catheters, or artificial joints, it is called healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). In addition, an MRSA infection that affects healthy people living in a crowded environment is called community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). This infection often starts as a painful skin boil.

What Are the Symptoms of MRSA Infection?

MRSA, or all other staphylococcus infections, starts as a swollen and painful red bump resembling a pimple or insect bite. The skin surrounding these bumps is warm to the touch, may drain pus, and the person will have a fever.

These boils turn into painful abscesses, which need to be surgically drained. In rare cases, bacteria go deep into the body and cause fatal infections in the heart, lungs, bones, urinary tract, joints, surgical incisions, and blood.

The symptoms of deep or severe MRSA infection are:

• High fever.

• Chills.

• Fatigue.

• Muscle pain.

• Unhealing wound.

• Dyspnea.

• Confusion.

• Dizziness.

• Chest pain.

• Pain and swelling in the affected part.

• Headache.

• Skin rashes.

What Causes MRSA infection?

There are numerous varieties of staphylococcus aureus bacteria found in nature. They live on the skin and inside the nose and are harmless until they enter the body through a cut or wound. If they do enter, it results in minor skin infections in healthy individuals. Staphylococcus infection is the most common cause of skin infection worldwide.

The unnecessary and indiscriminate use of antibiotics for decades has made some staphylococcus aureus resistant, giving rise to MRSA. Taking antibiotics for colds, flu, and viral infections results in this resistance. Apart from this, taking antibiotics for bacterial infection also increases the number of drug-resistant bacteria because antibiotics do not kill all bacteria present in the body. Bacteria that are still present after taking the course of antibiotics develop resistance to other antibiotics.

What Are the Risk Factors for MRSA Infection?

The risk factors for both types of MRSA infections are discussed below:

The risk factors for hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) are:

• Immunocompromised Patients - Hospitalized older adults and people with weak immune systems are at risk of acquiring MRSA infection.

• Patients with Kidney Failure - Regular dialysis increases the risk of MRSA infection.

• Invasive Medical Devices - Like IV (intravenous) lines or urinary catheters, make bacteria easy to enter the body.

• Patients in Healthcare Facilities - MRSA can get transferred from one person to another, even if the person is just a carrier and not infected.

The risk factors for community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) are:

• Overcrowded Community: Living in an overcrowded and unhygienic environment can result in MRSA infection. Examples include childcare centers, military camps, and jails.

• Contact Sports: The infection can spread through cuts and abrasions through skin contact or contact with infected or pus-filled boils on the skin.

• Injectable Recreational Drugs: People who use recreational intravenous medicines are 16.3 times more likely to develop deep and severe MRSA infections.

• Homosexual Men: Men who have sex with other men are at a higher risk of developing this infection.

• Sharing Objects: Sharing personal equipment like razors and towels.

How Is MRSA Infection Diagnosed?

The doctor will first take a medical history and conduct a complete physical examination. To diagnose MRSA, the doctor might collect one or more of the following samples for culture:

1. A sample from the wound is taken with a cotton swab.

2. Sputum is collected by asking the patient to cough, which is then checked for bacteria, blood, and pus. Respiratory lavage or bronchoscopy is done to collect the sputum for patients on ventilators or those unable to cough up sputum.

3. A urine sample is collected and sent to a laboratory for urine culture. Sometimes, urine is collected directly from the bladder by inserting a catheter into the bladder.

4. Blood can also be drawn and sent for a blood culture to identify the causative bacteria.

How Is MRSA Infection Treated?

Both HA-MRSA (healthcare-associated MRSA) and CA-MRSA (community-associated MRSA) are treated differently.

1. HA-MRSA - IV antibiotics are given for a long time, depending on the severity of the infection.

2. CA-MRSA - In this, oral antibiotics are usually sufficient to treat the infection.

If an abscess has developed, the doctor will perform an incision and drainage under local anesthesia.

What Are the Complications of MRSA Infections?

Staphylococcus infection can spread deeper and can result in the following fatal conditions:

• Infection of the heart valve (endocarditis).

• Blood infection (septicemia).

• Bone infection (osteomyelitis).

• Septic bursitis.

• Lung infection (pneumonia).

• Urinary tract infection.

Quick Facts:

1. MRSA can result in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection.

2. Most people get infected with MRSA in hospital settings.

3. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria commonly resides inside the nose of one in three people, and MRSA is found in two out of 100 people.

4. Antibacterial wipes and gels used in hospitals have significantly reduced MRSA infection.

5. Staphylococcus infection is the most common cause of skin infections like pimples, abscesses, wounds, boils, and impetigo.

Preventive Measures:

• Healthcare providers should wear protective garments.

• Wash and disinfect all equipment and clothes used by an infected person.

• Wash hands properly by scrubbing them together for 15 seconds.

• If you get injured, clean and cover the wound with a sterile cloth or cotton.

• Avoid sharing personal items like razors, towels, and clothing.

• Take a shower after playing athletic games or sports.

• Avoid using recreational drugs.

Conclusion:

To conclude, MRSA is a staphylococcus infection that is resistant to the kinds of antibiotics that are typically used to treat staphylococcus infections. It can spread from one person to another and is more commonly acquired in hospitals. Its spread can be stopped by taking preventive measures.