St Helena : St Helena Educates Public about MRSA
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 21.02.2009 (Article Archived on 07.03.2009)
The Public Health and Social Services Department has in the past issued press releases about MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) bacteria being present on the island.
MRSA
The Public Health and Social Services Department has in the past issued press releases about MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) bacteria being present on the island. Concerns have recently been raised again about this issue, following diagnosis of a patient (not currently in hospital) with this condition. The Department accordingly wishes to repeat some basic information about this.
About one in three healthy people carry the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria on their skins, in their noses or throats and about one in a hundred people carry the Methicillin resistant bacteria in the same areas. These people are colonised, but not infected by the bacteria and it is not harmful to a healthy person. It only becomes harmful if it enters the body through a cut, graze or break in the skin and can cause pimples or boils. If it gets into the blood stream the MRSA bacteria can spread through the body and cause severe infections.
MRSA is no more aggressive or infectious than any other strain of S.aureus. However infections with MRSA can be more difficult to treat and can develop further than usual.
MRSA spreads from person to person usually by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with infected clothing or linen. The spread of MRSA can be prevented by:
• good personal hygiene
• washing of hands before preparing food or nursing a patient and frequently during the day
• not sharing towels and razors
• covering wounds. Do not touch any open wounds
• reporting any unclean toilet or bathroom facilities.
Public Health and Social Services Department
20 February 2009
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