Staph Solutions

 When to seek medical advice

Keep an eye on minor skin problems — pimples, insect bites, cuts and scrapes — especially in children. If wounds become infected, see your doctor.

Signs and symptoms of a wound infection

• Redness, warmth and tenderness of the wound
• Pus — a yellowish-white fluid that may have a foul smell
• Fever

Ask to have any skin infection tested for MRSA before starting antibiotic therapy. Some drugs that treat ordinary staph aren't effective against MRSA, and their use could lead to serious illness and more resistant bacteria.

© 1998-2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). updated Jun 20, 2008.

 NBC Today Report on MRSA 

 MRSA: Superbug or False Alarm?

J. Scott Wilson, Staff Writer UPDATED 10:04 am EST January 3, 2007

StaphWash can decrease costs by decreasing the trend toward private hospital rooms.  According to the article, "Data has shown that private hospital rooms can help reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infection."

The need for StaphWash seems to be increasing.  According to the article, "the CDC noted, the proportion of potentially-deadly Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, has been growing among the percentage of all staph infections. In 1974, MRSA represented 2 percent of all staph infections; that number rose to 22 percent in 1995 and 63 percent in 2004."

What is the cost when you have MRSA?

MRSA patients are four times more likely to die and stayed in the hospital two and a half times longer than patients without the antibiotic-resistant infection.

The report by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council is the first in the nation with statewide statistics on hospitalizations of patients with MRSA.

 The Pennsylvania agency found 13,722 patients with MRSA, based on 2004 data, the latest available. MRSA patients are four times more likely to die and stayed in the hospital two and a half times longer than patients without the antibiotic-resistant infection. Hospital charges for patients with MRSA were three times higher than charges for patients without the infections.

“The prevalence of MRSA in every hospital in the U.S. poses a very serious health risk to patients who are unwittingly exposed to these superbugs,” said Lisa McGiffert, Director of Consumers Union’s Stop Hospital Infections campaign.

Ref: http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_health_care/003679.html

Private rooms can bring infection numbers down

By Mary Wade Burnside Times West Virginian

Published: August 03, 2008 12:46 am

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is present in the general population, is more easily transmissible than ebola and can be found in common places and situations. While it is treatable, MRSA is a bona fide superbug that shows no inclination toward disappearing.

Staphwash can decrease costs by decreasing the trend toward private hospital rooms.  According to the article, "Data has shown that private hospital rooms can help reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infection."

The need for StaphWash seems to be increasing.  According to the article, "the CDC noted, the porportion of deadly Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, has been growing among the percentage of all staph infections.

In 1974, MRSA represented 2percent of all staph infections; that number rose to 22 percent in 1955 and 63 percent in 2004."

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