MRSA, an acronym from medical term Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in short called ‘mursa’, is a superbug bacterium that is resistant to anti-biotic. It has, over the years, evolved an ability to survive treatment with beta-lactamase resistant which is why this is considered to be a difficult-to-treat infection in humans.
The bacterial strains caused by Staphylococcus aureus can produce proteolytic enzymes, enterotoxins, a protein that causes vomiting, diarrhea and in some cases shock, exfoliative toxins, protein that causes skin disruption, blisters and exotoxin TSST-1, protein that cause toxic shock syndrome.
Symptoms of MRSA vary, however a common observation is the production of pus found in infected areas of the body. Some classic examples of infected people include pus containing areas in hair follicles, pus collected underneath the skin, large abscesses with pus draining and pus in blisters on the skin. Infections under the skin or fatty tissues do to produce pus, but may show red spots which may have caused due to MRSA.
The main course of treatment for MRSA is Antibiotic Therapy. However, due to anti-biotic resistance with MRSA the treatment is made more complicated. A definitive way of treating MRSA by anti-biotic therapy is by using those anti-biotic shown in microbiological tests to effectively reduce and stop MRSA growth. Once the antibiotic sensitivities of the patient sample are determined, the patient can be treated appropriately. Unfortunately, these tests take time.
Majority of MRSA infections are treated with two or more intravenous anti-biotics. Minor skin infections may well respond to mupirocin. The earlier the MRSA is detected, the more accurately the diagnosis can be made for more effective treatment. Drainage of pus is the main surgical treatment of MRSA infections. Daily items used which may act as source on infection such as tampons and intravenous lines should be removed. There is also the possibility of MRSA not being able to fully treat due to other infections.
Unfortunately this may cause for patients to die of MRSA even with proper anti-biotic therapy if the patients immune system is not strong enough to fight the bacteria.
