Essential knowledge on MRSA
Wow, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is really starting to create havoc! I guess I’m the best person to talk about it besides the professionals, as my final year project for my diploma studies deal with MRSA. Anyway, MRSA is basically a bacterium that is not only resistant to methicllin, but beta-lactam antibiotics in general. Beta-lactam antibiotics refer to penicillin, ampicillin, and those that generally end with –icillin. MRSA compared to MSSA (Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus) contains a gene, mecA gene that encodes a alternative form of protein that antibiotics has no effects on – making it to be virtually indestructible in laymen’s term. To date, only vancomycin can be use to treat MRSA infections, but such vancomycin resistance strains are appearing as well.
How does MRSA enter a human’s body? Simple! Staphylococcus aureus are predominant on your skin surfaces. In instances when you have a cut, or exposed wound, Staphylococcus aureus can easily enter into your skin layers and colonises within it. And if it so happens to be a methicillin-resistant strain, trouble can start to occur! Nonetheless, as I had mentioned, our body system is capable to removing the Staphylococcus aureus if any. However, in the event that our body immune system is weakened, e.g. through intake of certain medicines, or existing medical conditions etc, MRSA might take a foothold and might ultimately leads to septicaemia and death!
There is no real need to be over-paranoid with getting MRSA infections. MRSA are predominant in hospital settings, and reportedly in jail as well! So, just avoid going to such places, and maintain clean hygiene and always treat your open wounds with antiseptics such as using StaphAseptic® gel, which can be obtain in any major drug stores. Maybe Paris Hilton should get a bottle of StaphAseptic gel too before going in! LOL…
For more information on MRSA or StaphAseptic gel, just proceed to StaphAspetic.com
This post is proudly brought to you by StaphAseptic.com
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5 comments:
hi kev, I do learn something today! tks! keep up the good work!
I have to disagree that it is a simple as you imply to avoid CA MRSA. Since MRSA is carried in the nose and can be carried by healthy, non-infected people, all it takes is for someone to touch their nose and then touch something you touch and then touch your own nose or some other entry into the body. StaphAseptic is great stuff but the real key is handwashing handwashing handwashing!
Hi Rhoda, quite true that hygene is the key in preventing any diseases. But then again besides keeping the daily hygiene practices, it is best to avoid high-risk places e.g. hospital as well!
hi kev
I am a professor of biology and, like you, I study MRSA. I just want to correct one thing you said about the mechanism of mecA resistance...mecA does not encode an enzyme that breaks down methicillin- It's slightly more complicated than that. To understand how mecA works you first have to know how Penicillin and methicillin kill bacteria. These drugs act by binding and inactivating the proteins that make the cell wall. The mecA gene codes for a substitute protein that builds the cell wall even in the presence of methicillin because it does not bind methicllin well.
Hi Susan,
Opps, guess my memory is failing me. Pls pardon me as was like eons ago since I last did anything on MRSA. My sincere apologies for any mis-informing. I thought I was right, but apparently I'm not.
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