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My husband and I are both colonized with MRSA.  I have had seven infections and my husband is just getting over his third.  I am a certified medial assistant, not working right now, and what disturbs me is the lack of urgency that I see from the health care givers regarding a possible MRSA infection that a person might have.  I had my first infection in September 2006 right after we had gone camping and like alot of others assumed it was a bad spider bite so I tried to take care of it myself.  By the time the second and third infection  came about I realized that this was more serious then I thought and went to my regular doctor.  After a MRSA infection is healed it leaves a purplish scare.  Some of mine had healed while others were breaking out new and my doctor insisted that those scares were bruises and had not been infections.  She never took a culture, of the new ones just sent me home.  By the time I got to the seventh infection I had a temperature of 104.6, and my entire hip was involved in the infection.  She reluctently took a culture only because I had insisted.  After swabbing the area for the culture she left the room leaving me still exposed with the infection uncovered and draining and never returned.   When I realized she wasn't coming back I covered my infected skin the best I could with kleenex and left for home.  Over the next couple of days a large blister formed and burst.  I called into my doctor only to be told "well that is what it is supposed to do".  That was the last straw, I changed doctors.  Recently my husband had developed this third infection and I took him immediately to an urgent care facility for a culture.  The nurse practioner insisted that he had shingles and I had to argue with her just to get it cultured, even with his history of MRSA.  I can't believe that is a lack of education about MRSA within our health care community for the ignorant behavior of the health care providers.  I am more inclined to think it is a lack of policy or a mandated standard of practice that health care providers must follow when addressing  suspected MRSA infected patients.  In my opinion, all patients who present themselves with a possible infection whether MRSA is suspected or not should be cultured and then treated accordingly.  Prevention education is so important but also when an infection is present it is all the more important for health care providers to be able to recognize it and take every step possible to stop it in its tracks before it becomes even more of a threat to our communities than it already is.

Hi.  I had seven MRSA infections in six months.  I know it is scarey when it is your child.  We finally starting seeing a doctor that specializes in infectious deceases in our area.  What I have been told is use only antibacterial soap on the hands never all over the body because it kills all the good bacteria that our bodies produce to help fight infections.  I was told to use soap like Dove or Aveeno that does not have antibacterial properties.  Also, MRSA likes to live in the environment in the nose, under arms, and groin areas so keeping all those areas clean is important.  There is a nasal cream that can be prescribed for swabbing the inside of the nose to help kill the MRSA virus that lives there.  Good luck with your baby.  I have been told that the MRSA has colonized in my body but I have not had an infection in over a year.  I am hoping that with continued preventative measures that I take I will not have anymore. The important thing for you to do is find a doctor that will listen to your concerns and is also updated on the prevention and treatment of MRSA.  If a spot looks suspicious to you insist on a culture if only for your own peace of mind.