Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a form of Staph infection resistant to most forms of antibiotic treatment.

This resistance to the medication is why some in the medical community have dubbed MRSA a “superbug.” However, deaths from MRSA are usually associated with infections following invasive medical procedures or illnesses.

The only antibiotic treatment available currently successful at combating the infection is the drug Vancomycin.

Even with this treatment, MRSA is still a deadly infection which rivals even the most virulent of infectious diseases.

A newly published Center for Disease Control study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, estimates there were 18,650 MRSA related deaths in 2005, outnumbering the number of HIV/AIDS related deaths which came in at roughly 16,000

While it is true MRSA killed more people in the U.S. last year than HIV/AIDS, the mortality rate of Coles County has yet to be affected by it.

Neither Sarah Bush Lincoln Medical Center nor the Coles County Health Department has reported any deaths as a direct result of MRSA.

Even without any deaths reported as a result of it, the threat of MRSA has encouraged many health reforms within Coles County.

The Problem:

Of the words Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, “resistant” is the most important, and the most dangerous.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA, is a form of staph infection which is resistant to most forms of antibiotics, specifically Methicillin.

Bruce Morgan, director of infection control at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, said combating MRSA involves using the “next step up on the antibiotic scale” – Vancomycin.

He said the few people who have had cases of MRSA at Sarah Bush Lincoln have responded favorably to the antibiotic.

However, Morgan said the dangerous aspect of MRSA is it’s capacity for mutation.

The more antibiotics a person takes to fight minor illnesses the more difficult it is for the Vancomycin to do its job if the person becomes infected with MRSA, he said.

“People shouldn’t go running for antibiotics every time they have a sniffle or a cough,” Morgan said.

Though Vancomycin currently works, the MRSA bacteria may mutate further and make the Vancomycin treatment ineffective.

At the hospital:

Morgan said Sarah Bush Lincoln has yet to have a patient die as a direct result of MRSA.

He acknowledged hospitals are breeding grounds for staph infections and MRSA, but said Sarah Bush Lincoln and most other hospitals in Illinois have taken rigorous steps to avoid these infections when possible.

Morgan said all patients who enter the critical care center of Sarah Bush Lincoln are scanned for signs of MRSA.

Patients who present signs of MRSA are put into “contact isolation.” During this time, any hospital worker or visitor who comes into contact with the patient must wear protective equipment like gloves and masks.

Morgan said disinfectant soap and gel are also in each room of the hospital in order to prevent the spread of staph infections or MRSA.

Morgan said these changes were made in order to promote health in the hospital and to be in compliance with the new MRSA Screening and Reporting Act.

In accordance with this act all cases of MRSA must be reported to the Illinois Public Health Department.

Kimberley Parker, a spokesperson from the Illinois Public Health Department, said she believes this new legislation combined with good hygiene practices at schools and hospitals will help prevent the spread of MRSA.

“All of these are good tools to help with the prevention and spread of MRSA,” she said.

Over-reacting?

Parker said all of the attention MRSA has been receiving in the news lately might have caused some people to become overly concerned about an illness which has existed for many years.

“People shouldn’t panic about MRSA,” she said. “But they should be educated about the virus in order to prevent it.”

Cathie Reynolds, director of nursing at the Coles County Health Department, agreed and said that people should be calm because staph infections are so common.

Reynolds said many people carry the staph bacteria on their skin and do not get sick unless the bacteria enter the body through an open wound.

She said most people who do have staph infections do not get seriously ill from them.

While the majority of people who do become ill from a staph infection will show signs like a rash of pimples or boils, Reynolds said, and generally the only people who fall victim to MRSA are those who have a weakened immune system because of an illness or some other physiological disorder.

However, Reynolds said, anyone with a rash which could be linked to a staph infection should see a physician as soon as possible.

Staph infections that are left untreated can mutate into more serious conditions like MRSA.

Reynolds said the best thing to do when dealing with staph infections and MRSA is to keep them from becoming a problem in the first place.

Reynolds said residents of Coles County have not seemed concerned about staph infections or MRSA.

“We’ve only had a few calls about staph infections,” she said. “And they just dealt with how the infection is transmitted.”

Reynolds said these calls were probably motivated by the recent coverage staph infections have gotten in the news media.

Prevention:

“Prevention is the key here,” Reynolds said.

She said she tells people the best way to avoid staph infections is to not share towels or clothing with other people, keep open cuts clean and frequently wash hands with hot water and soap.

Reynolds said the best way for people to avoid passing the infection onto others is to cover the infected area with a bandage and be certain to avoid getting any pus or drainage onto other people.

Prevention at Eastern:

These prevention methods have not been overlooked by Eastern.

Sarah Daugherty, co-director of campus recreation, said steps have been taken to ensure the risk of staph infection and MRSA transmission are minimal at the Student Recreational Center.

She said hand sanitizers have been added at each of the center’s cleaning stations, including several automatic-dispensers that allow people to wash their hands without fear of germ transferal from the dispensers.

Daugherty said people are asked to wipe down equipment with disinfectant after use in order to avoid bacterial transmission through sweat.

She also said the center’s cleaning staff cleans equipment several times a day with disinfectant.

Duaghtery said these items and procedures have seemed to work as no one has said they have received a staph infection from the SRC.

“We’re crossing our fingers,” Daugherty said. “But, so far, we think it is working.”

Fact Box:

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends the following procedures to avoid staph infections on school campuses:

Wash hands with hot water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom, before and after preparing food and after touching any sore or lesion on your own or another person’s skin.

Avoid sharing eating and drinking supplies.

Wash bed linens and pajamas at least once a week.

Change socks and underwear daily.

More information about preventing staph infections and MRSA can be found at the Illinois Public Health Department Web site.

More information about MRSA and the Coles County Health Department can be found here.