What is MRSA?

I've gotten a lot of requests for this blog post, mostly from concerned parents. Hopefully, this answers those questions!

Before I can answer the question about MRSA, I'll have to explain about the bacterium itself - Staphylococcus aureus (now that's a mouthful!). S. aureus, also known as "Staph" for short, is a fairly common bacterium - in fact, it's present on your skin right now! This little guy is just one particular variety of Staphylococci, however it is the one (of about 30 different kinds) that most commonly infects humans. S. aureus is a round, pill-shaped bacterium that grows in clusters, and looks a little something like this:

Now, normally Staph just kind of hangs out on your skin's surface, not doing too much and being no real threat to you or anyone else. But if the skin is broken, that's when the problem starts. S. aureus infection can cause skin infections, the rare toxic shock syndrome (in women), and food poisoning if ingested. If left untreated, a staph infection can progress to cellulitis, necrotizing faciitis (a disease that essentially causes the skin to loosen from its cementing membrane and slough off), gangrene, or sepsis (blood poisoning). Symptoms of S. aureus food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Common symptoms of a staph skin infection include boils or abcesses filled with pus, warm or swollen areas of skin, pus coming from an open wound, pain, or a wound that appears to not be healing properly. If at any time you suspect a staph infection, seek medical attention. If you suspect gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis, or sepsis, seek immediate emergency treatment, as these types of infections can result in limb loss, organ failure, and death.

MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a strain of Staph bacterium that has become resistant to Methicillin and other antibiotics in the same class, such as penicillin and amoxicillin. It commonly is found in hospitals and infects the very sick, the elderly, and those with open wounds. Because MRSA is so antibiotic-resistant, it can be difficult to treat. You can get it by contact with infected wounds, improper hygiene, and sharing infected items with others, although recent antibiotic use is also a risk factor. MRSA, aside from being much more antibiotic-resistant and tougher to treat, is the same as regular Staph and an infection with either can be avoided by following the suggestions below:

• Always cover a wound with a bandage and treat with a topical antibiotic such as Neosporin, especially if the wound is oozing pus or draining. This keeps out bacteria, and keeps any bacteria that may be in the wound from infecting others.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds. Do this after using the restroom, before preparing food, after handling infectious materials, or after handling raw meat or animals that may have bacteria on them (reptiles, birds, and animals infected with any microbe). This is a good practice to prevent many diseases, not just Staph.
• Do not share personal items, like towels, tooth brushes, or hair brushes, with others. Your staph may infect them, or theirs may infect you, especially if you have an open wound.
• Keep all food preparation surfaces clean! Do not prepare food if you have an infection of the skin, eyes, or nose.
• Ladies should change tampons frequently during menstruation to minimize the risk of toxic shock syndrome. This disease is rare, but life-threatening and is closely linked to tampon use, especially when tampons are not changed frequently enough.

If you follow these guidelines, you should be just fine. Remember to take care, and stay healthy. :)

Hello, World!

And here we are, all moved over to the new blog! Unfortunately, it will be quite some time before I can get all of the posts from MicroCritters (my old blog) onto the new blog, so stay tuned for some archive posts in the future. In the meantime, my followers can continue to post on MicroCritters, but nothing new will show up there.

For any newcomers, welcome! You've reached the blog of Dr. Richard Graham, the Germ Guy. I'm an epidemiologist, a scientist that studies diseases and epidemics. I work with the CDC on research into new strains of bacteria that could pose a health concern. When epidemics happen, my lab and I work to find a way of quickly controlling the outbreak and determining how to treat those already infected. When we're not doing that, we're checking our colonies of every bacteria and virus under the sun (and we have some rather interesting samples in our labs, definitely don't try what we do at home). I specialize in bacterial outbreaks, particularly those such as Staph and E. coli which get hundreds sick every year from lack of proper understanding and respect for the little critters.

The human body alone has trillions of different species of bacteria living on and in it, let alone the entire earth. Some of those bacteria, like the cultures used in sour cream and yogurt, are helpful bacteria. I believe education is the first step towards helping others stay safe during outbreaks and spreading understanding of our microscopic neighbors. Part of the way I do this is by offering to give university lectures and speeches at microbiology and epidemiology symposiums. Another way I do it (and a far more accessible way, I think) is by posting information about bacteria, viruses, parasites, current outbreaks, and stories from the lab here. The more we understand the smallest of life forms around us, the better we can prevent disease and stay safe. Plus, I think it's fun to share stories about what it's like to work for the CDC. It is my hope that any aspiring or current epidemiologists will find the stories humorous, inspiring, or perhaps even fuel for their own desire to work in my field...