MRSA
methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Frequently asked questions
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If I have MRSA, how contagious am I?
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What are the signs and symptoms of a MRSA infection?
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How will my health care provider treat my MRSA
infection?
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When I was in the hospital, the staff wore gowns and
gloves while in my room. Now that I am home, my family members do
not have to do that. Why not?
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When I was in the hospital, the staff wore gowns and
gloves while in my room. Now that I am home, my family members do
not have to do that. Why not?
-
I found out I have MRSA living in my nose. Can I
hold my grandchildren?
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I am colonized with MRSA and have several children.
Should I have them tested to see if they are colonized too?
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I was told to clean high-touch areas of my home
routinely. How often is "routinely"?
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Is there a difference between cleaning and
disinfection?
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I have MRSA on my skin and I want to protect my
family and friends. Should I be wiping down everything immediately
after I touch it? Should I have a separate phone that only I use?
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How should laundry be handled in a household in
which someone has MRSA?
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What should I do with used bandages, dressings, or
tissues from someone who has a MRSA infection?
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When should someone with MRSA stay home from school
or work?
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I have a loved one living in an assisted living
facility. How can the spread of MRSA be prevented in that setting?
If I have MRSA, how contagious am I?
It depends on whether you are simply colonized or have an active
infection. Being colonized with MRSA means you carry it in your nose or
on your skin but you are not sick with a MRSA infection. If you have
signs and symptoms of a MRSA infection (boil, abscess, pain, swelling)
you are much more likely to spread MRSA because the infected area
contains many MRSA germs. That is why it is important to keep the area
of the wound covered and to wash your hands after touching the wound.
Return to top
What are the signs and symptoms of a MRSA infection?
Staph infections, including MRSA infections, may appear as boils or
abscesses, with pus or drainage present. Sometimes they may look like
"spider bites." There may be redness, swelling, pain, or
warmth at the site of the infection. You may also have a fever. Contact
your health care provider if you have a wound that is not getting better
or is rapidly getting larger. Return to top
How will my health care provider treat my MRSA infection?
Any pus or fluid will be drained. Antibiotics are not always needed
for MRSA infections. Your provider will decide whether you need them. If
you are given antibiotics, take them exactly as your provider has
instructed.
Be sure to let your provider know if your infection does not get
better in a day or two after being treated. Return to top
When I was in the hospital, the staff wore gowns and gloves while
in my room. Now that I am home, my family members do not have to do
that. Why not?
Gowns and gloves are worn in the hospital to prevent the spread of
MRSA to other patients from contaminated hands and clothing of health
care workers. This is especially important because sick people are at
higher risk of infection from MRSA.
At home, these are the ways you can help prevent spread of MRSA to
your family members:
- wash your hands often with warm soapy water or use alcohol gel
- when soap and water are not available
shower after exercising or participating in sports
- protect skin to avoid cuts, tears, and abrasions
- cover cuts, tears, and sores on the skin with clean, dry dressings
or bandages
- do not share personal items such as razors, towels, or clothing
- do not touch other people's skin infections
- routinely clean surfaces that have frequent contact with skin
(chairs, toilet seats, doorknobs, keyboards, telephones, etc.)
- stay home if you have draining infections that need dressing
changes during work or school hours Return to top
I was told I am "colonized" with MRSA on my skin. What
are the risks of my spouse becoming infected by having close physical
contact with me?
Being colonized with MRSA means that you carry it on your skin or in
your nose but you have no signs or symptoms of infection. There is a
small risk of transmitting MRSA to close contacts such as your spouse
when you are colonized, but the risk is much less than when there is an
active infection, with pus or drainage present on the skin.
Simple measures such as good hand washing, bathing or showering
regularly, and covering skin wounds will help reduce the risk of
transmission to close contacts. Return to top
I found out I have MRSA living in my nose. Can I hold my
grandchildren?
Yes, you may hold your grandchildren, because the risk of
transmitting MRSA to them is small. It is possible to spread MRSA by
touching your nose and then touching someone else. Washing your hands
with soap and water or alcohol gel after touching your nose and before
touching others will help to prevent the spread of MRSA to others.
Return to top
I am colonized with MRSA and have several children. Should I have
them tested to see if they are colonized too?
In most cases testing of household members is not necessary.
Sometimes the family doctor may wish to screen all household members for
MRSA colonization. This may be done when there are recurrent infections
in one or more household members.
If testing is needed, the doctor will rub the inside of the nose with
a cotton swab and then send it to the laboratory for a culture. If MRSA
is found, your doctor may give you an antibiotic ointment to be put
inside the nose to kill the MRSA.
Sometimes family pets (dogs and cats) will also carry MRSA, so if
testing of household members is done, pets should be included in the
screening process.
Even if treated, family members may become re-colonized in the
future, but treatment may still be effective in breaking the cycle of
recurrent infections. Return to top
I was told to clean high-touch areas of my home routinely. How
often is "routinely"?
If someone in your household has a MRSA infection with wound drainage
that cannot be contained with a bandage or dressing, it is important to
clean and disinfect surfaces and items that have come in contact with
the wound drainage as soon as possible after contamination has occurred.
How often you clean depends on how often contamination may occur.
Washing hands often and keeping the wound covered with bandages or
dressing or placing a cloth barrier between the wound and surfaces will
help keep the environment from becoming contaminated.
If wound drainage can be contained, or if a household member is only
colonized with MRSA, then household surfaces and items are much less
likely to become contaminated. In these situations, you can follow your
usual cleaning schedule.
Surfaces such as floors and walls are not usually involved in MRSA
transmission and do not require special cleaning procedures. Return to top
Is there a difference between cleaning and disinfection?
Yes. Cleaning is a process by which dirt, soil, organic material, and
germs are removed by washing with a cleaner or detergent to lift the
dirt and germs off surfaces and items and then rinsing them away with
clean water. Cleaning will remove many household germs if done properly
and is usually all that is needed to help prevent spread of infections
among household members.
If a household member has a MRSA infection, it may be helpful to use
a disinfectant on potentially contaminated surfaces and items in
addition to cleaning. Disinfectants are products that kill germs or
prevent them from growing.
It is important to use disinfectants properly to make sure they work
well. Follow all of the manufacturer's instructions on the label. Pay
special attention to the contact time, which is the amount of time the
product must remain on the surface or item to be effective. Use a
disinfectant that is EPA registered and that lists "staph" as
one of the germs that it will kill. Return to top
I have MRSA on my skin and I want to protect my family and
friends. Should I be wiping down everything immediately after I touch
it? Should I have a separate phone that only I use?
You do not have to clean everything you touch, nor do you need to use
a separate phone. Instead you should focus on washing your hands often,
bathing or showering regularly, and keeping any skin cuts or wounds
covered with a clean, dry bandage or dressing. Return to top
How should laundry be handled in a household in which someone has
MRSA?
The normal laundry process reduces the number of germs found on
clothing, towels, and sheets, so if there is no visible soiling of these
items used by someone with a MRSA infection, you may follow your normal
laundry process.
If clothing, towels, and sheets used by persons with MRSA infections
are heavily soiled with blood, wound drainage, or other body fluids,
they should be washed separately from other household members' laundry.
Wash in hot water and detergent or warm water and bleach, if possible.
Using the hot setting on the dryer is also helpful. Make sure items are
completely dry before using. Return to top
What should I do with used bandages, dressings, or tissues from
someone who has a MRSA infection?
Waste items may be thrown into the regular trash. If these items are
heavily saturated with wound drainage or other body fluids, place in a
plastic bag and seal, then throw into regular trash. Be sure to wash
your hands well with soap and water or alcohol gel after handling these
items. Return to Top
When should someone with MRSA stay home from school or work?
Persons who only carry MRSA in the nose or on their skin but who do
not have signs or symptoms of infection are able to be at work, school,
and other community settings. Those with active MRSA skin infections may
also be at work or in school IF:
- the infection can be covered with a bandage or dressing.
- all wound drainage can be contained throughout the day without
having to change the dressing or bandage at work or school.
- if the infected person is willing and able to follow good hand and
personal hygiene.
Until skin infections are healed:
- do not use whirlpools or swimming pools.
- do not participate in contact sports or other physical activity in
which bandages or dressings may fall off. Return to top
I have a loved one living in an assisted living facility. How can
the spread of MRSA be prevented in that setting?
Living in an assisted living facility, a nursing home, or other group
setting is much like living in a household, with people participating in
community activities and being in close contact with one another. Thus
the ways to prevent MRSA from spreading in these settings are much like
those in households.
Residents should practice good hand hygiene habits. They should be
encouraged to wash hands or use the alcohol gel before dining with
others and before participating in community activities.
Staff should also practice good hand hygiene according to CDC
guidelines for hand hygiene in health care settings. (Exit DHS) (PDF,
495 KB)
Residents unable to contain wound drainage or other body fluids
should have limited movement outside of their rooms until drainage and
fluids are able to be contained, regardless of whether they have MRSA.
High-touch surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected routinely.
Residents' skin should be kept clean, healthy, and intact. Return to top
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Last Revised: January 17, 2012 |
