What is MRSA?
This page has information about a type of infection called MRSA. You can use these links to take you straight to the sections on
MRSA is an infection caused by a group of bacteria called staphylococcus aureus. There are many different types of staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria are usually found on the skin and are often responsible for pimples and boils.
MRSA is a particular type (strain) of staphylococcus aureus that does not respond (is resistant) to many antibiotics. These antibiotics include methicillin, which is a type of penicillin. So the letters MRSA stand for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus.
MRSA was first seen in several countries in the 1960s. With increasing use of antibiotics, new strains of MRSA have developed over the past 20 years. These new resistant strains develop because some bacteria may not be destroyed by a course of antibiotics because they have particular characteristics that protect them from the antibiotic. These bacteria then grow and divide in the body to produce a strain that is resistant to the antibiotic treatment. If antibiotics are used too often and inappropriately, it becomes more likely that bacteria will adapt to them and become resistant. To try and reduce this resistance the Department of Health have produced guidance to GPs and the public to promote more careful use of antibiotics. And hospitals have their own antibiotic policies which follow national guidance.
About a third of people carry MRSA on their skin or in their nose without knowing it. These people are said to be carriers of MRSA. The bacteria are present on the body but don’t cause any harm. Doctors also call this being colonised with MRSA. Most people who carry MRSA in this way don’t go on to develop an infection.
You get an MRSA infection when the MRSA bacteria get into your body tissues or bloodstream and multiply. They can get in through a break in the skin, such as a wound or drip site, or by travelling up a tube into the bladder (a catheter).
MRSA infections mostly affect people who
- Are in hospital for long periods
- Have had surgery
- Are seriously ill in intensive care.
- Have a weak immune system and are at risk from infection
Because staphylococcus aureus bacteria live on the skin they are easily spread by direct skin contact, often on people’s hands. MRSA is also spread on bedding, towels, clothing and equipment. This is one reason why strict hygiene measures in hospital are so important.
Symptoms of MRSA depend on the part of the body that is infected. They may include
- Skin that is red, swollen or tender
- Wounds that are slow to heal or become septic
- Boils or abscesses in any part of the body
- Fever, tiredness, and headache in more severe infections
There is more about the symptoms of infections in our section on cancer and fever.
You will need to have tests or swabs taken to diagnose MRSA. This can be a blood or urine sample, or a swab from a wound or drip site. The samples are sent to the lab to find out what the infection is and which antibiotics it is sensitive to.
Even if you don’t have an MRSA infection you may be tested to see if you carry MRSA. This is called screening for MRSA and might be done on admission to hospital. The screening involves taking a series of swabs from your nose, skin and any wounds or drip sites.
MRSA infections are still often treatable with antibiotics. But because many standard antibiotics don’t work, your doctor will need to prescribe particular types of antibiotics. You usually have these antibiotics through a vein in your arm (intravenously). Vancomycin and teicoplanin are antibiotics that doctors commonly use to treat MRSA.
If tests show you carry MRSA, you may need treatment to clear the bug from your body. This reduces your risk of getting an MRSA infection and helps limit its spread to other people. But MRSA can sometimes be difficult to get rid of completely. Treatment is with antibiotic creams for your nose, and special soaps, powders and shampoo for the rest of your body.
MRSA is mostly an infection that people get in hospital. As you may have heard in the news the number of reported MRSA infections has increased a lot in recent years. The reason for the rise is due to many things, such as
- New strains of MRSA are more powerful
- An increased number of very sick people in hospital
- Healthcare treatment is more complex – the use of central lines and catheters are much more widespread
- Patients move within and between hospitals more often
- High workloads, which can make it more difficult for staff to stick to regular hand washing routines
But hospital staff are working hard to control the spread of MRSA by
- Making sure they wash their hands and use cleansing alcohol hand gel between patients
- Screening patients for MRSA when, or before, they are admitted to hospital
- Using antibiotics carefully in line with guidelines
- Improving cleaning and inspection of wards
- Looking after people with MRSA in single rooms until their infection has cleared
- Having a policy on how to manage MRSA
If you’re in hospital and are worried about getting MRSA there are some measures you can take yourself
- Keep your hands and body as clean as possible
- Don’t share soap or towels
- Always wash your hands after using the toilet and before meals
- Use wipes after using a bedpan or commode
- Make sure your bed area and bedding are cleaned regularly
- Don’t be afraid to report any poor cleaning to the nurses
- Tell the ward sister if you see any staff forget to wash their hands!
- Take antibiotics as instructed and always finish the course
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