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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)


What is MRSA?


What are staph?


Do staph always make people sick?


How are staph spread?

Staph are spread by direct skin-to-skin contact, such as shaking hands, wrestling, or other direct contact with the skin of another person. Staph are also spread by contact with items that have been touched by people with staph, like towels shared after bathing and drying off, or shared athletic equipment in the gym or on the field.Staph infections start when staph get into a cut, scrape or other break in the skin. People who have skin infections—painful, swollen pimples, boils, and rashe, for example—should be very careful to avoid spreading their infection to others.

Is MRSA different from other staph?


MRSA is just like other staph in almost every other way:



• It is spread the same way as other staph.

• The symptoms are the same as other staph infections.

MRSA is sometimes said as a single word, “mersa,” or by saying all four letters, “M-R-S-A”

What are the symptoms of an infection caused by staph?

Pimples, rashes, pus-filled boils, especially when warm, painful, red or swollen, can mean that you have a staph or MRSA skin infection.Occasionally, staph can also cause more serious problems such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia. The symptoms could include high fever, swelling, heat and pain around a wound, headache, fatigue and

What should I do if I think I have a staph skin infection?


How will my doctor know if I have a MRSA infection?

with lab tests. Lab tests will also help your doctor decide which antibiotic should be used for treatment, if antibiotic treatment is necessary.
Your doctor will usually take a sample on a swab (like a Q-tip) from the infected area. The sample will be sent to a laboratory to see if the infection is caused by staph. Blood and other body fluids can also be tested for staph.

How are MRSA infections treated?

Most MRSA skin infections are treated by good wound and skin care: keeping the area clean and dry, washing your hands after
caring for the area, carefully disposing of any bandages, and allowing your body to heal.Sometimes treatment requires the use of antibiotics. Lab tests help your doctor decide which antibiotic should be used for treatment,if antibiotic treatment is necessary. If antibiotics are prescribed, it is
important to use the medication as directed unless your doctor tells you to stop. If the infection has not improved within a few days after seeing your doctor, contact your doctor again.

How can I prevent a staph infection?



• Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.

• Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths, toothbrushes and razors. Sharing these items may transfer staph from one person to another.





For more information about MRSA, visit the MDPH website at www.mass.gov/dph

Massachusetts Department of Public Health