MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is commonly called the 'super bug.' This particular strain of bacteria causes an infection that is especially hard to treat using conventional antibiotics including the various 'cillins. Although most infections aren't serious, this one can evolve into one that can be fatal however.
On this page, I give an overview of MRSA, discussing its causes, symptoms, and now it is treated, including a new treatment that has recently been discovered.
Background
There are actually several different strains of MRSA.
In the United States, the most common strain that circulates here is known as ST8:USA300. In the United Kingdom, the two most common strains are known as EMRSA15 and MRSA252. Both of these particular strains are resistant to erthromycin and ciprofloxacin.
Some additional strains found in other nations of the world include ST8:USA500 and ST59:USA1000.
How Is It Transmitted?
Being exposed to another person’s skin usually spreads it, or coming into contact with items that have been used by another infected individual.
These infections typically occur in healthcare environments such as hospitals or nursing homes.
It is thought that hospitals account for almost 80% of staph infections. This is particularly true if your hospital stay is longer than 14 days.
Often times, individuals in these environments have weakened immune systems, putting them at greater risk.
This is why hospital staff always 'glove up' before touching a patient, preventing the transmission of bacteria, and minimizing the risk they will develop an infection.
Also, this particular type of staph infection can be particularly dangerous in children, as their immune systems are not completely developed and they lack the antibodies to combat common germs.
Coming into contact with an open wound of an infected person can also transmit it. This means it can be easily transmitted in individuals that participate in certain contact sports.
Also, athletes that share towels, razors or sporting equipment are at greater risk for developing this infection.
Individuals living in crowded or unsanitary conditions are at greater risk for developing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
This would include individuals in prisons or military training camps, for example.
Homosexual men are also more likely to develop MRSA.
In San Francisco, for example, gay men were 13 times more likely to develop this infection than heterosexual men.
Individuals that are on feeding tubes, catheters or dialysis are at greater risk for developing this condition.
What Are Its' Symptoms?
This particular form of staff bacteria usually starts out as small red bumps on the skin resembling pimples or spider bites.
The individual may develop a fever and a skin rash on occasion.
After a few days, these bumps become larger and more painful, eventually opening into pus-filled boils.
About 75% of all MRSA develops on the skin, and can be usually treated successfully.
However, some strains are more dangerious, causing symptoms that are more serious.
These strains may affect the vital organs, with widespread infection, including toxic shock syndrome.
With these types of staph, an individual may also develop a type of necrotizing, or flesh-eating, pneumonia.
It often evolves into an abscess, requiring incision and drainage.
How Is It Treated?
Even though it is resistant to certain antibiotics, it still responds to certain medications. Here is a list of some of the medications commonly used to treat this type of infection:
Cephalexin
Glycopeptide
Linezolid
Teicoplanin
Tetracyclines
The sulfa drugs
Vancomycin
However, there are newly developed strains that are resistant even to vancomycin and teicoplanin.
Are There Natural Remedies?
Although the preferred treatments of choice are the prescription medications mentioned above, there are natural alternatives.
One study that was done at the University of East London has found that a component in garlic can successfully treat MRSA.
In 2008, Dr. Ron Cutler from the University of East London released the results of a clinical trial involving 52 patients with hospital acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, who were treated with a component of garlic, allicin, for their infections.
For many of these patients, their wounds healed in 4 to 12 weeks of treatment with full recovery.
Several of these patients had been previously treated with antibiotics medications, with no change in their condition.
In another recent study that was done by Chungshan Medical University Hospital, it was found that there were other components of garlic that have potent antibiotic qualities.
In this study, mice that were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, their conditions improved after given garlic extract.
The study found that two components of garlic, diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulphide, helped to boost the immune system, thus providing improvement in their conditions.
In conclusion, MRSA is one of a new breed of antibiotic resistant infections that has appeared on the horizon. Over the years, it has evolved into bacteria that are resistant to various antibiotic medications, including many of the penicillin medications and others.
Although most infections are not serious, it can sometimes turn into a life-threatening condition.
With the discovery of the role garlic plays in the treatment of this condition, the medical community is now giving serious consideration of the role that herbs can play as treatments for medical problems.
