MRSA in Hospitals

• MRSA appeared in hospitals in 1961 as another form of staph infection. It continues to mutate, quickly making itself resistant to antibiotics. Eighty-five percent of MRSA cases occur in a medical setting.
  
  

MRSA in the Community

• Catching MRSA in the community used to be rare and was limited to intravenous drug users. However, since the first community-based case appeared in 1997, it has become more prevalent.
  
  

Prevention

• The best way to prevent MRSA is to effectively wash hands for at least 15 seconds; do not share personal items like razors, toothbrushes or clothing; keep wounds covered; maintain cleanliness; get possible infections tested; and use antibiotics as prescribed.
  
  

Signs

• Closely watch any open cut, pimple, insect bites or scrapes for redness, swelling, pain and drainage. These can be signs of infection.
  
  

When to See a Doctor

• If signs of infection appear, have your doctor test the infected area for a staph infection. If the staph test culture results are positive, the doctor should test for MRSA, since MRSA requires a different antibiotic.