Causes & Risk Factors of MRSA
MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterial infection that is resistant to methicillin and other common antibiotics. Hospital-associated MRSA occurs in patient-care environments. Community-associated MRSA occurs in groups of people having skin-to-skin contact.
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Cause
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MRSA is caused by bacteria that have developed a resistance to antibiotics because of over-prescribing, antibiotic use in livestock, and the genetic mutation of bacteria in response to exposure to antibiotics.
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Developing MRSA
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Staph bacteria live on the skin and normally cause no problems, but if you have a cut they can get into your system. If the invading bacteria is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and your immune system can't fight it, you can develop MRSA.
Health-Care Settings
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If you have had a recent hospital stay or live in a care facility, you are at increased risk for hospital-associated MRSA.
Surgery
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Surgery or other procedures that break or cut the skin are risk factors for hospital-associated MRSA.
Sports
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Participating in contact sports and sharing towels in locker rooms are risk factors for community-associated MRSA.
Immune System
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Having an immune system compromised by a disease such as HIV/AIDS or being a child with an immune system that isn't fully developed puts you at risk for developing community-associated MRSA.
References
- Photo Credit "Soudeh under Serum" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Hamed Saber (Hamed Saber) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
