Lately, the media has been abuzz with the super bug MRSA. MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus, a type of bacteria, that is resistant to the antibiotic Methicillin and other related drugs such as penicillin and amoxicillin. The bacteria have been resistant since 1961, two years after Methicillin was placed on the market. This is not a new problem, but one that doctors have dealt with for years.

One-third of the human population carries MRSA on their skin and in their nose. The bacteria are harmless unless there is an open place in the skin, through which they can enter and cause an infection. MRSA infections usually start as a pimple or spider bite type lesion and progress to redness and pus-filled lesions such as boils, or abscesses. The infection can then enter the bloodstream and cause fever, chills, low blood pressure, joint pain, headache, shortness of breath, and a rash. In severe cases, death can occur from overwhelming infection.

So, what causes these bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics? The first cause is the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Viruses which cause many common illnesses, are not helped by antibiotics. Your doctor will be able to tell if your infection warrants an antibiotic.

Another cause is germ mutations, which occurs when people do not finish their antibiotic prescriptions. This allows bugs that are not completely killed to adapt stronger defenses against the antibiotics. For this reason it is very important to finish all of your antibiotic prescriptions.

There are also some risk factors that can predispose certain people to infections with MRSA. People with decreased immune systems such as those with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, skin conditions like psoriasis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, elderly, children; and those with urinary catheters, are often more susceptible to MRSA. Other factors include recent hospitalization or a stay in a nursing home. Those who have had a prior MRSA infections can have recurrences.

MRSA can be spread by direct contact with people or objects infected with the bacteria. The main way to prevent infection is by simply washing your hands with soap and water. Make sure cuts, scratches, and scrapes are clean, dry, and covered. Don’t share towels, razors, or tweezers with others. Seek medical attention if wounds become infected. We still have a variety of medications that can be used to treat MRSA, but as we all know, prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Dr. Hilary Miller received a Masters in Public Health from West Virginia University and Doctor of Osteopathy from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She owns and operates Little Kanawha Family Medicine in Glenville, WV and is Board Certified in Family Medicine. Jill Roberts, a fourth year medical student at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, co-wrote the article with Dr. Miller.