If you’re like most parents, recent news reports about temporary school closings, and even deaths, from so-called “superbugs” have probably left you feeling a bit unnerved — and concerned about how to keep your child safe, whether at daycare, school or the football locker room.
Several decades ago, a new strain of staph bacteria showed up in hospitals. It was resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to zap it, according to the Mayo Clinic. Named methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), it was one of the first germs to defeat all but the most powerful drugs.
About 30 percent of the population carries regular staph bacteria on their skin or in their nose, according to Dr. Gregory Moran, a professor of medicine at UCLA School of Medicine and a physician with the emergency medicine and the infectious-diseases departments at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. About 1 percent of the population carries the MRSA bacteria, he says.
“Staph infections, and even MRSA infections, are actually quite common,” says Moran. “But the vast majority resolve and don’t turn into a life-threatening situation. We see these infections every day in ERs across the U.S.,” he adds. “They are mild, self-limiting skin infections. We drain the abscess and they virtually always get better.”
MRSA infection can appear as pustules or boils that often are red, swollen, painful or have pus or other drainage, according to the CDC. These infections commonly occur at sites of skin trauma, such as cuts and abrasions, and areas of the body covered by hair (back of the neck, groin, buttock, armpit, beard area of men). Doctors can take a tissue sample or a sample of a patient’s nasal secretions to check for MRSA bacteria.
Mayo Clinic experts recommend keeping an eye on minor skin problems such as pimples and insect bites in addition to cuts and scrapes, especially in children. If wounds become infected, see your doctor. Almost all MRSA skin infections can be treated by drainage of pus — with or without an antibiotic — the CDC notes.
MRSA is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else’s infection (towels, used bandages, etc.), according to the CDC. If your child develops an MRSA infection, cover the wound with clean, dry bandages until healed. Follow your doctor’s instructions on proper care of the wound.
Careful hand washing remains your family’s best defense, says the Mayo Clinic. Scrub hands briskly for at least 15 seconds, then dry them with a disposable towel and use another towel to turn off the faucet. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer for times when you don’t have access to soap and water.
Wash all abrasions and cuts with soap and water and cover them until healed. Avoid sharing personal items that come into contact with bare skin, the CDC advises. Use a barrier (clothing, a towel, etc.) between your skin and shared equipment such as weight-training benches. Establish cleaning procedures for frequently touched surfaces and surfaces that come into direct contact with people’s skin
For more information on MRSA infection, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov.
