Select a Question Below What is “MRSA”? What do these infections look like? How can you tell whether your infection is due to MRSA? How dangerous are these infections? Where did these infections come from? How does someone get infected with MRSA? Can you get MRSA infection from contaminated food or water? Can you get MRSA infection from animals, spiders or insects? Can you get MRSA infection from sharing the same bathroom? Can MRSA infection spread from inmates to visitors? Why do boils keep coming back in some people? Are boils caused by other diseases such as HIV or cancer? What is the treatment for MRSA infections? What can be done to keep MRSA from spreading...? What is the DOC doing to take care of prisoners with MRSA? What is the Department of Correction doing to keep MRSA from spreading? What is the Department of Health doing about this problem? Where can I get more information about MRSA?

“MRSA” stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This is a type of infection caused by bacteria that are commonly called “staph”. “Staph” bacteria normally live on the skin or in a person’s nose. “Staph” infections usually cause boils or other skin infections. More serious cases can occur. MRSA is a type of “staph” that has become resistant to some of the commonly-used antibiotics. These MRSA infections can be treated, but different antibiotics have to be used.

MRSA skin infections usually start out like a pimple or a painful, swollen patch of skin. They can develop into boils or draining sores. In rare cases, MRSA infection can spread to other parts of the body or cause serious infections.

The only way to tell is for a doctor or nurse to collect some of the drainage (pus) and send it to the lab for “culture”. The lab grows the bacteria on a culture plate so that they can be identified. This process usually takes 2 to 4 days. The lab can also test to see which antibiotics will work best to treat the infection.

MRSA skin infections usually get better quickly with the right treatment. More serious infections may need IV antibiotics or sometimes surgery (an operation).

“Staph” infections have been around since the beginning of history. Because so many antibiotics have been used in recent years, the bacteria are now starting to become resistant. MRSA infections have been a problem in hospitals for several years now. However, over the past few years, we have started to see more and more MRSA infections in the community and in the prisons.

MRSA infection is usually passed by direct physical contact with someone who has an open, infected sore. MRSA bacteria from the infected sore can spread to the person’s hands or other parts of the skin. Sometimes a person can be infected with MRSA through direct physical contact with a contaminated personal item (such as a towel, washcloth, clothing, sheets, soap, bandages or razor) or a contaminated surface (such as shared sports equipment). Sharing needles, drug “works” or tattoo equipment are particularly high-risk activities.

No. MRSA skin infections are not spread through food or water.

No. MRSA infections are not spread through contact with animals. MRSA infection is not spread by mosquitoes, bedbugs or other insects. MRSA skin infections often look like spider bites at the beginning, but MRSA is not spread by spiders.

People who share the same bathroom or other living space must practice a high level of cleanliness to keep from spreading MRSA infection to one another. Personal items (such as towels, washcloths, soap, bandages and razors) should not be shared. Surfaces that are touched by several people (such as countertops, toilet seats, and faucet handles) should be wiped clean between use. MRSA bacteria are killed by many different cleaning products, including dilute bleach solutions. The cleaning solutions used by the Arkansas Department of Correction are appropriate.

Yes. An inmate with an open, infected sore could spread MRSA infection to a visitor by direct physical contact. This risk can be reduced by carefully cleaning and covering all open wounds and by careful hand-washing. Sometimes prison officials may temporarily restrict physical contact between an inmate with an active MRSA infection and visitors in order to prevent the spread of MRSA infection.

MRSA can normally live on some people's skin or in their nose. Once a boil heals it is possible to be infected again with another boil. Draining pus from a boil can also spread boils to other areas of the body by direct touch. That's why it is so important to wash your hands and shower often if you have a boil.

Any time the immune system (the body's ability to fight disease) doesn't work just right, any infection is easier to get. Advanced stages of HIV, cancer, or liver disease can make it easier to get a boil, but the other diseases do not cause the boil.

Treatment of MRSA skin infections includes carefully cleaning and covering any open sores. An antibiotic ointment may also be used to treat open sores. Some MRSA skin infections need to be “lanced” in order to remove the pus. If antibiotics are needed, there are a number of different antibiotics that can be used to treat MRSA infections, including Bactrim and doxycycline. A culture can help to tell which antibiotics would work best, but getting the culture results will take a few days. If the person is allergic to any antibiotics, that also has to be considered. In the most serious MRSA infections, IV antibiotics, such as vancomycin, must be used.

Several steps can be taken to keep MRSA infection from spreading. These include:

• covering all sores with clean bandages, particularly those that produce drainage or pus;
• washing your hands often, taking frequent showers, and practicing good hygiene;
• not sharing towels or personal items, such as razors, combs, clothing, bandages or sports equipment;
• routinely cleaning bathroom surfaces and any exercise equipment used by others.

It is also important for people with MRSA infections to be treated as soon as possible to keep from spreading infection to other people. In some cases, an infected person might be temporarily separated from other uninfected people (“isolation”), moved to a barracks with other infected inmates (“cohorting”), or restricted from certain activities (like sports, certain types of work duties or recreational activities).

Inmates infected with MRSA infection can receive care at their prison infirmary. Appropriate medical care may involve wound care of open sores, antibiotic ointment, lancing boils, and antibiotics. Doctors and nurses at Arkansas prison facilities have received training in managing MRSA infections and follow protocols developed by the Arkansas Department of Correction.

The Arkansas Department of Correction (DOC) is taking the MRSA situation very seriously. All inmates receive education on how to keep from getting infected with MRSA, and infected inmates are encouraged to get treated at their prison infirmary as soon as possible. In some cases, infected inmates are “isolated”, “cohorted” or restricted from certain activities until their infections have cleared up.

In August 2004, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) put out a press release to warn the public about the danger of MRSA and to give steps to avoid spreading the infection in the community. The ADH continues to work to educate our communities and health care workers about MRSA. The ADH is also working closely with the DOC to develop policies and procedures to help control the spread of MRSA.

Those who have further questions or concerns regarding MRSA infections can contact their local health unit or call the central office of the ADH. Information on MRSA is also available online at the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/ARESIST
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