MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Staphylococci are bacteria that live unnoticed in many people, preferably in the nose or on the skin. MRSA is a variant of this bacterium which is resistant to the traditional antibiotics.
If you carry this bacterium only in your nose or on your skin, this germ will cause little harm, just like the ordinary staphylococcus aureus. So, it poses no risk to healthy people. However, this bacterium can also spread to other parts of the body, such as the bladder, lungs or an open wound.
It can also spread to other patients. MRSA can pose a danger to people with severely reduced resistance to infection and people who have recently undergone or are to undergo surgery. An MRSA infection complicates or delays the healing process.
MRSA is incorrectly referred to in the media as 'hospital bacteria'. In fact, the bacterium is also common in residential and care centres and sporadically even in the 'healthy' community.
Please contact your treating doctor for more information.
Your doctor will discuss the treatment options with you.
