Topic : 04/01 The Superbug

My 17 year old son had MRSA  one year ago. The doctors felt because he was an athlete he probably got it from the weight room at school. The doctors thought he was probably 2 days from death, if it wasn't for the quick initiative of the first physician that saw him to start him on 3 different antibiotics to cover the "gammet" of possible infections he could have while we waited for the 2 days for the lab results. Once we got the results-only one of the antibiotics he was taking was actually affective on his infection. He was already resistant to 6 antibiotics--he had never had an antibiotic in his life! Also as a junior in high school he had never missed a day of school in his life either. He was in incredible pain, could barely walk and laid on his stomach for 2 weeks since the little pimple had grown to the size of a football and now the redness wrapped around his leg!

Three weeks later he was cleared to go back to school and participate in sports. But 2 weeks after that he had 2 more bumps develop on his hip and shin. Upon going back to the doctor immediately they said he still had MRSA and began new series of the antibiotic he wasn't resistant to. We began to wonder if we have to worry about this our whole life! Upon our insistance we met twice with an Infection Control Doctor. She said it is present everywhere and we will here about it more and more. As you mentioned people are carriers and some have it in their nasal passages normally. Washing your hands thoroughly is very important! Don't share towels or razors etc. Our son also has a prescription for "Bactroban" creme that he puts on any scrap, bite, bump etc at the first notice.  It was a very scary time for our family and it is a constant concern. Nothing to take lightly!!!!

Two days after bringing my son home from the hospital the doctor noticed he had a staph infection (Impetigo) near the belly button.  It was treated with antibitotics and we were told it was healed.  At a month and a half old my son was very lethargic and we took him to the doctor and were told it was the stomach flu.  A few days later we returned because he was not any better and his face was now red all-over, and we were told to head to the ER.  It took two days of many antibitotics failling and the staph spreading burns throughout his body at our local hospital until they realized they didn't know what he had, and they moved us to a larger hospital.  After a long week of watching our son slowly spread this 'Superbug' all over, and a ton of pediactric and infected skin disease staff to evaluate his condition around the clock, finally a swab of bacteria taken days before grew so that we learned that he had MSRA Scalded Skin Syndrome.  Has anyone ever heard of this specific strand of staph?  We are very lucky that the antibitotics caught up to fight off the disease, but now we are also wondering about how this was contracted and if it can return?  We were told by the doctors that it was 'bad luck' and that since everyone has staph on their skin at some point, there wasn't much we can do in the future to prevent this from occurring again.

My father contracted MRSA recently through an IV in the hospital.  He had an open wound that oozed on his forearm for about 3 weeks.  Finally, he realized that antibiotics were ineffective on it and he had to go and get the tissue cut out.  Right now, he is about 3 days out of that surgery and has his arm wrapped up and is on antibiotics.  I'm assuming at this point that the Doctor's think they have gotten all of the infected tissue from his arm and are hoping antibiotics are going to prevent it from happening again.

My concern is that we spend a lot of time with him.  We eat at his home weekly, and my three very young kids love to climb all over him and play.  How concerned should I be about my kids contracting this?  Right now he has an open wound that is bandaged.  Should we steer clear until it heals?  If we are around him how much contact should kids have with him if any?  My oldest son has really bad exzema on his legs.  If he has scratched his leg and it is bleeding, can he contact MRSA by just being in the house with my Dad or would he actually have to have skin to skin contact with the wound? 

Based on the rest of the messages, I 'm thinking that we need to regularly wash hands and surfaces.  But is this only when they  have an open wound, or should special attention always be made to be sure that surfaces are wiped down with Lysol?  If food and stuff is prepared at his home, are we safe to go and eat there?  (He would not be preparing it?)  

Obviously I am super concerned about exposing any one else in our family to this, however, I also love my father and I don't want to treat him like a leper and not spend the same amount of time with him if it isnt' warranted. 

To sum it up, if you currently have someone recovering with a MRSA surgery and who is in the initial phase of antibiotics, what precautions should be made to prevent exposure.  What would it take to contract the disease? Should my son with Exzema completely stay away, or can he be in his presence without touching and be ok? Do the risk go away when his wound is healed over?   

If anyone has any answers for any of these questions, I would truly love some input.

Thanks!