MRSA

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mrsa.html

Also called: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

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MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It causes a staph infection (pronounced "staff infection") that is resistant to several common antibiotics. There are two types of infection. Hospital-associated MRSA happens to people in healthcare settings. Community-associated MRSA happens to people who have close skin-to-skin contact with others, such as athletes involved in football and wrestling.
Infection control is key to stopping MRSA in hospitals. To prevent community-associated MRSA

Practice good hygiene
Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed
Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages
Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, or clothes
Wash soiled sheets, towels and clothes in hot water with bleach and dry in a hot dryer

If a wound appears to be infected, see a healthcare provider. Treatment may include draining the infection and antibiotics.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
From the National Institutes of Health