Mrsa!!!!????!!!!! - Schaumburg,IL

Hi S., My family had to deal with Mrsa last year. First thing I want to tell you is everything will be ok. I was so horrified when I started looking on line and I was so freaked out and scared. But here we are a full year later and no more outbreaks. I would be happy to share with you what my family did, although I don't know what worked the most or if it was just a combination of these things that finally got us MRSA free.
Most importantly have your daughter take her antibiotic as prescribed and until it is finished. I would imagine they have her on a sulfur based antibiotic like bactrim.
Super good hygiene is important. Wash your hands before and after every diaper change, trip to the bathroom ect.
After much research I decide to limit the amount of antibacterial soap we were using, to just the affected areas. The reason for this is we all have good bacteria that is much better at fighting off these "bugs". By constantly using antibacterial products we are killing all our good bacteria, and the staph bacteria can get stronger. My son's Mrsa was also presented as boils on his rear end. So we had him shower and use disposable wash cloths ( Even good paper towels like Viva work) with antibacterial dial liquid body wash on just his arm pits, and private parts. These are the warm moist areas that staph like. We washed the towels in the hottest setting after every use. We also used paper towels to dry our hands instead of sharing a hand towel. We ate yogurt like crazy, to boost our good bacteria. We also consumed large amounts of turmeric. I could go the rest of my life with out tasting this spice again. My husband and I took Turmeric pills, and we cooked all our proteins with it. I am sure we all smelled terrible, lol. I found about the turmeric during my late night on line research and figured what do we have to loose. We also limited our sugar intake as bacteria loves sugar. Another important thing we did was cut all our finger nails very short so we couldn't carry any high jackers. As far as cleaning the home... I bleached everything, all the time, everyday. We did all this for 6 months or more, the Dr. warned us it would probably come back, but so far so good.

As far as what is Mrsa and how to you get it here is what I think. Most of us carry staph bacteria on our bodies and in our noses. After years of antibiotic misuse and over prescribed, some of these staph stains have become resistant to many antibiotics like penicillin. Staph infections are dangerous enough.... but add to that new ones that so strong and resistant to modern drugs and that makes a big problem. Mrsa was in hospitals for years and caused many injuries and death to sick people with compromised immune systems and was passed around from patient to patient. Now a days it is not just effecting patients, but is all over the place. We could have picked it up anywhere. Once it is in a household it is easier to spread from family member to family member because of the close contact. The best thing you can do is try to keep your family strong and healthy and everyone in the house has to be careful whether they show signs of it or not. If you want to send me a private message with your phone # I would be happy to talk to you about. It will all be ok. At least you know what you are dealing with. I think a lot of families go through this but don't talk about it because they don't want to be treated like the plague.

Sorry for the novel :)
One last thing. Any cut, scrape, pimple, bug bite, should be treated and covered. My husband and I use full strength tee tree oil (too strong for little ones skin) or bacitracin for kids.

Hi~
I’m sorry – how frustrating and scary :( here is a link to a great handout http://www.tpchd.org/files/library/2357adf2a147d1aa.pdf and additional info from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735

CAUSES:

Staph infections
Staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of the population. If you have staph on your skin or in your nose but aren't sick, you are said to be "colonized" but not infected. Healthy people can be colonized and have no ill effects. However, they can pass the germ to others.
Staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or other wound, and even then they often cause only minor skin problems in healthy people. However, staph infections can cause serious illness. This most often happens in older adults and people who have weakened immune systems, usually in hospitals and long term care facilities. But in the past several years, serious infections have been occurring in otherwise healthy people in the community, for example athletes who share equipment or personal items.

Antibiotic resistance
Although the survival tactics of bacteria contribute to antibiotic resistance, humans bear most of the responsibility for the problem. Leading causes of antibiotic resistance include:
 Unnecessary antibiotic use. Like other superbugs, MRSA is the result of decades of excessive and unnecessary antibiotic use. For years, antibiotics have been prescribed for colds, flu and other viral infections that don't respond to these drugs, as well as for simple bacterial infections that normally clear on their own.
 Antibiotics in food and water. Prescription drugs aren't the only source of antibiotics. In the United States, antibiotics can be found in livestock. These antibiotics find their way into municipal water systems when the runoff from feedlots contaminates streams and groundwater.
 Germ mutation. Even when antibiotics are used appropriately, they contribute to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria because they don't destroy every germ they target. Bacteria live on an evolutionary fast track, so germs that survive treatment with one antibiotic soon learn to resist others. And because bacteria mutate much more quickly than new drugs can be produced, some germs end up resistant to just about everything. That's why only a handful of drugs are now effective against most forms of staph.

Risk factors for community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA)
 Young age. CA-MRSA can be particularly dangerous in children. Often entering the body through a cut or scrape, MRSA can quickly cause a widespread infection. Children may be susceptible because their immune systems aren't fully developed or they don't yet have antibodies to common germs. Children and young adults are also much more likely to develop dangerous forms of pneumonia, which can result from CA-MRSA, than older people are.
 Participating in contact sports. CA-MRSA has affected sports teams. The bacteria spread easily through cuts and abrasions and skin-to-skin contact.
 Sharing towels or athletic equipment. CA-MRSA has spread among athletes sharing razors, towels, uniforms or equipment.
 Having a weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems, such as those living with HIV/AIDS, are more likely to have severe CA-MRSA infections.
 Living in crowded or unsanitary conditions. Outbreaks of CA-MRSA have occurred in military training camps and in American and European prisons.
 Association with health care workers. People who are in close contact with health care workers are at increased risk of serious staph infections.
In addition to these risk factors, CA-MRSA is also spreading through certain groups of gay men. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found a new strain of MRSA spreading rapidly among gay men in Boston and San Francisco. For example, gay men in San Francisco were 13 times more likely to be infected than others in the city.

PREVENTION
What you can do in your community
Protecting yourself from MRSA in your community — which might be just about anywhere — may seem daunting, but these common-sense precautions can help reduce your risk:
 Wash your hands. Careful hand washing remains your best defense against germs. Scrub hands briskly for at least 15 seconds, then dry them with a disposable towel and use another towel to turn off the faucet. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol for times when you don't have access to soap and water.
 Keep personal items personal. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, sheets, razors, clothing and athletic equipment. MRSA spreads on contaminated objects as well as through direct contact.
 Keep wounds covered. Keep cuts and abrasions clean and covered with sterile, dry bandages until they heal. The pus from infected sores may contain MRSA, and keeping wounds covered will help keep the bacteria from spreading.
 Shower after athletic games or practices. Shower immediately after each game or practice. Use soap and water. Don't share towels.
 Sit out athletic games or practices if you have a concerning infection. If you have a wound that's draining or appears infected — for example, is red, swollen, warm to the touch or tender — consider sitting out athletic games or practices until the wound has healed.
 Sanitize linens. If you have a cut or sore, wash towels and bed linens in a washing machine set to the "hot" water setting (with added bleach, if possible) and dry them in a hot dryer. Wash gym and athletic clothes after each wearing.
 Get tested. If you have a skin infection that requires treatment, ask your doctor if you should be tested for MRSA. Doctors may prescribe drugs that aren't effective against antibiotic-resistant staph, which delays treatment and creates more resistant germs. Testing specifically for MRSA may get you the specific antibiotic you need to effectively treat your infection.
 Use antibiotics appropriately. When you're prescribed an antibiotic, take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better. Don't stop until your doctor tells you to stop. Don't share antibiotics with others or save unfinished antibiotics for another time. Inappropriate use of antibiotics, including not taking all of your prescription and overuse, contributes to resistance. If your infection isn't improving after a few days of taking an antibiotic, contact your doctor.

Good luck hope she feels better soon.

If you had your baby in the hospital most likely this is where you picked it up. It was probably on an instrument that was used during delivery. This is one of the main reasons I chose to have my children at home. No chance of getting some horrible staph infection in my home.

Lisa

Oh I am so sorry! My son had a staph and it came back negative more MRSA so I was so excited, sorry to hear of your misfortune! Anyway, it sounds like you're on the right track, but yes you should clean your house top to bottom and wash EVERYTHING. I would especially do her towels and sheets in hot water. It might be worth it to pay someone to clean your house to make sure they get everything cleaned! I'm not sure how long the virus stays living on things, but they even told me not to let my son wear something more than once (which as babies, they don't usually anyway, but you probably shouldn't either) Good luck!

S.,
So sorry!
You may want to check out Shaklee's Basic G germicide at http:www.shaklee.net/healthforlife
It would also be a good idea to build your daughter's immune system. The ShakleeBaby vitamin powder would be a good start.
For adults there is NutriFeron.
Good luck. I hope your daughter is well soon.
Victoria