Seeking Information on MRSA

Updated on September 25, 2008
J.B. asks from San Diego, CA
14 answers

My friend just found out she has MRSA. We usually see each other about 2-3 times a week. I am pretty uninformed about MRSA except for my brief internet research. Should I be concerned about keeping my kids away from her for awhile? Any advice and information would be greatly appreciated.

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J.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

my son had it. It is highly contagious and not something you want. It is hard to get rid of (mega doses of anti-biotics).

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A.Y.

answers from San Diego on

My sister in law had MRSA recently, she thought she had strep throat and didn't know until the test came back a week later. You may have already been exposed to it but if you don't have any signs or symptoms your probably "colonized". She ended up giving it to her husband and 2 1/2 year old daughter. I watch my niece a few times a week and we were deffinetly exposed. If your immune system is down, don't get too close. Symptoms usually show up within 3 days of exposure. For children it mostly occurs on their bottom, it might look like a pimple and then get more read around it. If you see this you should have it checked and swabbed for a test. MRSA lives in the nasal passages so if you or children pick your nose the MRSA is then on their hands and can spread by contact. So you could get it at the park or anywhere. It's all over our community. The only way to get tested for it is if you have a sore that can be swabbed like a boil. MRSA could also be inside the anus of children. My niece tested positive there. So if children share a potty, make sure it's cleaned with clorox or lysol wipes after each use and hands are cleaned...because again children are curious and tend to touch themselves or don't wipe well and could have it on their hands. If your friend and children don't have any active sores and they've been given some kind of treatment, as long as your sanitary you should be fine. Ask your friend if she's been given any treatments. My sister in law and husband had some stuff they had to put in their noses. You have to watch out for the antibiotics because one, MRSA doesn't usually respond, but having antibiotics especially in children could make it more subseptable for MRSA to get in. My neice wasn't given any oral treatment. If your going to her home, make sure they've had it deep cleaned especially surfaces that are touched frequently, especially toys. I would avoid her home until her sores are gone, but meeting somewhere is fine, just WASH WASH WASH Your friend will now always have a chance of having it again and you still have to live life. We can't live in a bubble, we just have to be careful! I've also learned that most of us have some form of staff, we just don't know it and it's not hurting us.

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B.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Perhaps a better thing to do is you see her alone (as you're more likely to wash your hands etc.) or go to the park with the kids and see her there. I wouldn't take my kids -- mainly because I wouldn't trust them to not get it. All I can think of is one of my kids getting it. But I feel your pain. If a friend I saw that often had something that contagious... it would be painful to see her go through that and feel that I couldn't be there for her.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

My suggestion is just to be careful and be diligent on prevention but dont need to stay away unless your friend would rather you do that for awhile. She may be worried about spreading it and would be ok with you discussing it.

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A.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

http://www.staph-infection-resources.com/1/mrsa_skin_infe...

Here's a link I found to a book on an alternative approach to MRSA. Tea tree oil is one suggested treatment for MRSA. Oil of Oregano is another option. Oil of Oregano can be found in capsule form to be taken intrenally or in liquid form to be applied topically. It is
extremely strong and should be diluted down in a carrier oil. Jojoba, which can be found
easily at Trader Joe's, penetrates the best. Olive oil is another excellant option. Oil of oregano has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Tea Tree is anti-fungal and anit-bacterial. Another option is cayenne in olive oil. This will burn, but cayenne is packed with
vitamin C and will bring circulation to the area, that brings oxygen and that is what is healing. My sister-in-law used this remedy for an outbreak of shingles and she has had no
further outbreaks or nerve damage. I also have a friend who has used the oil of oregano on shingles with similar results. Please pass this information on to your friend.

The best thing you can do, and your friend, is build up your immune system. You can take
oil of oregano capsules. I would do so for a month and then as you feel you need it. Your friend should take 1 3x day with meals. Propolis and royal jelly are bee products and are also great anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Start taking superfood everyday. It is dehydrated wheatgrass, rye grass, spirulina, etc. You can find it in any health food store. Add it to juice. I use Dr Schulze's found at the Natural Botanical Pharmacy in the Marina.

Another option is colloidal silver. I have used it topically for cuts and have taken it internally for bronchitis. I've included a couple of sites for you to look at. It is not something that should be taken indefintely. If taken on a daily basis it can discolor your skin. I would not let that scare me away from taking it for short periods. Oil of oregano, propolis and royal jelly are all food stuffs and will not interact negatively with any meds you might be taking making them a great compliment. I have not used antibiotic for years and I use to be on them all the time.

http://www.silver-colloids.com/Papers/FAQ.html
http://tahilla.typepad.com/mrsawatch/mrsa_wounds_silver/i...

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E.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I was recently visiting my sister at the hospital with my 2 month old and the nurses suggested that I leave right away, they had a patient with MRSA on the floor. They told me it was highly contagious and can be resistant to many antibiotics. Stay away if you can.

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B.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Call your Dr. and ask him or her your questions. They would be able to tell you best.
I hope your friend gets better quick.
Take care

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N.J.

answers from Las Vegas on

Google the site for the center for disease control (CDC). I have written an article for the lay person on MRSA, not yet published, and there is a lot of general info there. Also, as previously stated, call your doctor. N.

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D.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

You should avoid your children from touching her hugs for example. also if she has any children of her own I am very sure they probably have the disease as well. MRSA is a staph infection that is resistan to antibiotics, once a person is ill they will never get rid of it, it will go away for periods of time and them come back as sores for example.And if you are concerned that your friend might get offended explain to her that you don't want your children to get ill with the infection. Also be aware that MRSA is transmitted by contact, also here in the valley there is what they call community acquired MRSA, just by touching the shopping cart you could get infected, always carry with you antibacterial wipes to clean off the handles, it sounds extreme but it will protect you and your children. Also you can go see Dr. Al-jasim and ask him for information, he is the infection control specialist in the valley.

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K.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

What kind of MRSA is it? Is it in the lungs? That I don't know much about...

My toddler daughter has had MRSA twice, the skin type infection. Hers started with a bug bite looking thing that QUICKLY turned into a huge inflamed infection. The key with MRSA is how fast it spreads. My dr. never told us to be concerned for other families members. I just have to be careful when my daughter gets a scrape or cut to ensure it doesn't get infected. We had to go to the ER because it had abcessed and needed to be drained.

I would talk to you dr if it's the lung type that's contracted via air.

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C.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

MRSA can be found in a ton of places! It is common in wounds, but it can become systemic which can be lethal if not treated!

That being said, here (I am a nurse) at my hospital, when we have patients with MRSA, they automatically go on isolation.. Regardless of what kind of MRSA it is because it is highly contagious..So, I would recommend if you see them, wash wash wash your hands and just contact.. If it's possible, yes, I would just avoid seeing her..

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L.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Both my husband and I have had MRSA-type outbreaks. These are huge painful boils that tax the whole body. Our kids never got any luckily, perhaps because we were very careful. The reality is that the viruses that cause MRSA and related conditions are EVERYWHERE. That said, your friend is likely having to deal with an open wound (cleaning and changing dressing) which makes her more likely to have the virus ‘hanging around’ and I would avoid having the kids or yourself over to her house while she still has the open wound. This is just to be EXTRA careful. If you do have to be at her house, just be diligent about washing hands – really diligent, and be aware of any open cuts or abrasions etc that might be entry points on you or your kids. We used the hand sanitizing lotions a lot at our house. Seeing her away from her house should be fine if you know that she is doing her best to be clean on all fronts (laundry, hands). So try not to make her feel bad, she certainly already feels physically low, but be honest that she is likely at her most contagious right now.
PS – if she hasn’t seen a doctor to lance the boil (if it is painful), and receive antibiotics, please make sure she goes asap. She will feel so much better.

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C.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi J.,
My husband and I own an advanced water technology business and this water has the ability to completely eradicate MRSA. Feel free to pass on our info to your friend. We'd be happy to see if we can find someone local to her that can give her the water.
____@____.com

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J.W.

answers from San Diego on

I rubbed my bottom raw in the gym and it developed into MRSA. I had surgery to have it drained and packed until it healed from the inside out. My husband got instruction and did the wound care for two plus weeks. It is highly infectous but only if you contact it. He did not get anything from me and we still slept together. If the would is kept covered all should be ok.

Take a towel when you go to the gym from your own home. If a wound turns into a boil GO TO THE DOCTOR right away. I ignored mine for a week and it was serious when I finally got there.

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