02 November, 2007

MRSA--really, come on now!!

Ok, so since the MRSA media frenzy, I have had so many families come in and worry that MRSA is going to kill their child.
Valid concern, if your child has been getting MRSA abscesses/boils/pimples, whatever you want to call them, and has a fever, is lethargic, etc.
But when you kid is absolutely fine minus some pus??? Really.
OK vent over and now for some real information.
MRSA is a bacteria from the staph family. NOT a virus. NOT airborne. Able to be killed with 10% household bleach solution. And Lever 2000 Soap, don't ask me what they put in their soap to make it kill MRSA, it just does, lol! MRSA has been a big deal in health care for well over a decade. We do all we can to keep from passing it, yet sometimes it happens.
People who are most at risk include the elderly, immune compromised and those with chronic health conditions (who are in and out of hospitals a lot) for the serious life-threatening MRSA sepsis (blood infection). If you have a major surgical or traumatic wound that gets a MRSA infection, that is bad.
But a surface pimple/boil is not going to kill you. Yes, they are expensive, difficult to treat in children and frankly pretty gross. But as long are your immune system is able to fight it off, you have nothing to worry about.

I wish the media would have done a better job of giving some facts with their reports. All anyone not in the medical field heard was "Killer MRSA". And with all the concern for the bird flu, anthrax, and other really really bad diseases, I understand . But they should have provided information with explanation, not just fear-inducing headlines.
That is all. Any questions, feel free to post a reply or email me.
Jill:)

1 comment:

One Half Dozen said...

Wooot!

Thanks for posting that!! :o)