Page 107 - 2020 ARE eGuide for Clinical at Nonhospital Sites

MRSA - The Facts

Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus referred to as MRSA is a strain of Staph aureus which has
developed a resistance to the antibiotic Methicillin as well as several other antibiotics. MRSA is
one of several multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO’s) seen in healthcare today. Please refer
to your facilities MDRO Policy to learn more about the others.

Staphylococcus aureus, sensitive or resistant, is normal skin
flora that colonizes in everyone at one time or another. Nasal
carriage is not uncommon. Both sensitive and resistant Staph
aureus are people "germs.” Many patients come into the hospital
colonized with it. In a hospital setting both are most likely
transmitted by contaminated hands or equipment.
Colonization is the presence of an organism without visible clinical
symptoms.
Infection is the presence of an organism along with associated
signs and symptoms of infection (fever, inflammation, may or may
not be drainage of wound).

If an infection occurs, cultures should be done to know what organism is the causative agent
and to know what drug to use to treat the infection or determine if the right one is being given.

Patients do not routinely need to be isolated based solely on a positive MRSA culture. A patient’s
condition dictates whether isolation is needed or not, for example, a patient with copious drainage
from a wound regardless of what the culture grows needs to be on Contact Precautions.
If information is needed regarding precautions for patients with any resistant organism, refer to
the Isolation Precautions policy or your facility’s Infection Control Practitioner (ICP).