Source: NYSDOH;
Last Reviewed: October 2007
What is Staphylococcus aureus?
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a bacteria normally
found on the skin or in the nose of 20 to 30 percent of healthy
individuals. When S. aureus is present without causing
symptoms, it is called colonization. If symptoms are present,
it is called an infection.
What is MRSA?
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
is a strain of S. aureus that is resistant
to methicillin, an antibiotic in the same class as
penicillin, and is traditionally seen in people who have been
recently hospitalized or who have been treated at a health care
facility (such as treatment at a dialysis center).
What is CA-MRSA?
Community-associated MRSA infections (CA-MRSA)
are MRSA infections in healthy people who have not been hospitalized
or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis or surgery) within
the past year.
Who gets CA-MRSA?
Anyone can get CA-MRSA, however outbreaks have been seen among
athletes, prisoners, military recruits, daycare attendees, injection
drug users and other groups of people who live in crowded settings
and/or routinely share contaminated items. Poor hygiene
practices, such as lack of hand washing, may spread
the bacteria easily.
What are the symptoms associated with CA-MRSA infection?
CA-MRSA infections typically begin as skin infections. They
first appear as reddened areas on the skin, or can resemble
pimples that develop into skin abscesses or boils causing fever,
pus, swelling, or pain.
How are CA-MRSA infections treated?
CA-MRSA skin infections can be treated by draining any abscesses
or boils and providing localized care. Antibiotics can be given
if necessary. When left untreated, CA-MRSA
infections can progress to serious complications. Visit your
health care provider if you think you might have a MRSA infection.
How do I know if I got MRSA from the community or from a health
care setting?
Most MRSA infections are found in people who are or have recently
been hospitalized. CA-MRSA is usually diagnosed when the patient
has an MRSA infection and has not had surgery, dialysis, nor
been admitted to a hospital or other health care facilities
in the past year. CA-MRSA can also be diagnosed when a person
has a MRSA infection that began too soon after admission to
be acquired in the hospital.
How is it transmitted?
CA-MRSA is spread in the same way as an MRSA infection, mainly
through person-to-person contact or contact
with a contaminated item such as a towel, clothing
or athletic equipment. Bacteria that exist normally on the skin
cause CA-MRSA and so it is possible to infect a pre-existing
cut not protected by a dressing or other bandage.
How can the spread of CA-MRSA be controlled?
Careful hand washing is the single most effective
way to control the spread of CA-MRSA. Skin infections caused
by MRSA should be covered until healed, especially to avoid
spreading the infection to others. Family members and others
with close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap
and water. Personal items that may be contaminated (towels,
razors, clothing, etc.) should not be shared.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have issued
recommendations for preventing the spread of MRSA among athletes.
These include practicing good personal hygiene, including showering
after practices and competitions and not sharing personal items
such as towels. Athletes who participate in sports where equipment
is often collectively used are encouraged to reduce sharing
as much as possible and to regularly wipe-down equipment/mats
with commercial disinfectants or a 1:100 solution of diluted
bleach (one tablespoon bleach in one quart water).
Where can I get further information on CA-MRSA?
A Letter from Alice Cole, Tompkins County
Public Health Director
October 22, 2007
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may occur in the schools in Tompkins County.
The Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) works with
any involved schools to minimize any risk to children
and to school employees. Because of the wide-spread attention
to MRSA in the media recently, school superintendents
and the TCHD feel that it is important that all families
be provided with the same information about the infection
and about measures to take to prevent this infection.
Staphylococcus aureus (aka staph) is a bacterium
that frequently causes skin infections. MRSA is a strain
of staph that is resistant to certain antibiotics. MRSA
was identified more than 40 years ago and has been increasing
in frequency around the country.
Staph infections are usually spread from person to person
by close skin-to-skin contact, usually through contaminated
hands. Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) most commonly
causes skin infections (pimple, boil, or pustule) but
can sometimes also cause more significant soft tissue
infections (furuncle or cellulites). If medical treatment
is indicated and an appropriate antibiotic is prescribed,
almost all superficial skin infections heal. MRSA skin
infections are usually not worse than typical staph infections
in previously healthy school children. If you have any
concerns about your child’s health, you should contact
your health care provider.
The simplest and most important measure to prevent the
spread of staph infections is to use good personal hygiene,
which consists of hand washing, proper care of skin injuries
and skin infections, and avoiding sharing personal items
such as razors, headgear, and towels. Children who do
have MRSA infections should be allowed to go to school
as long as they are not ill and as long as the wound can
be fully covered by bandages. The Health Department
recommends that students with diagnosed MRSA in a skin
infection check in with the school nurse upon return to
school for clearance to participate in gym and sports. Environmental clean up is rarely indicated.
We will continue to work with school districts to investigate
any outbreaks that may occur and to distribute educational
materials to curb the spread of these persistent infections.
Sincerely,
Alice Cole, RN, M.S.E.
Public Health Director
Download a pdf
of the letter with 3 fact sheets (386KB)
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