MRSA Awareness

I just found out that my cousin, Shanon, died of a staff infection. It started from a simple scrap on his chin at work on a construction site. The scrap got infected with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)- the super bug of staff infections - and quickly spread to his brain. Once there, the normally very difficult to treat infection became impossible to treat. He passed away Monday evening. He left behind a wife and two kids.

Prior to this, though I had heard of staff infections, I had not heard of MRSA, nor did I know of that staff infections could be so deadly. I have since done a little research, and what I have learned scares me.

Three in every ten people carry some form of staff infection (only a small percentage of those MRSA, thankfully) on their skin or in their nose. These people have no symptoms and are considered "colonized" but not infected. However, if they get a cut or scrap - or even a popped pimple - that isn't properly cleansed and treated, it can get infected with the staff bacteria already on their skin. Additionally, they can pass on the staff infection to others through skin-to-skin contact or through sharing personal items like towels, clothing, and athletic equipment. Children are one of the populations most at risk.

My cousin's death has been a wake-up call for me. Like all little kids, my kids often scrap themselves with their fingernails and such. Before learning about MRSA, I didn't know that such a little "owie" could have such deadly implications. It is so important to clean and treat every little scrap to prevent infection. It may sound melodramatic, but their lives could depend on it.

For more information, and the source of my information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/ID00049.