1. Use Tissue or Fluid Samples
The most common diagnostic procedure used to detect MRSA infection is likely the first one your doctor will use: tissue or fluid sampling. After removing bodily tissue from an affected area of skin or taking some of your nasal secretions, your doctor will send the sample to a lab. There, technicians will use the sample to encourage bacterial growth in a petri dish, which they can then identify as belonging to the Staphylococcus family or not.
However, these procedures have their limitations. It usually takes a lab about 48 hours to confirm the presence of an MRSA infection. That's a long time in the world of bacterial infections, and it's time that would be better spent treating the infection. Thus, doctors have developed new, faster ways to track down these microbial intruders.
2. Hunt for the DNA of Staphylococcus Bacteria
Your doctor may have access to a faster test that searches tissue samples for evidence of Staphylococcus bacteria DNA. These tests are able to diagnose MRSA infections in a couple of hours, enabling prompter treatment. However, these procedures are in their relative infancy, and while they're becoming more and more readily available, they're not accessible to everybody.
3. Get Screened
Since many staph infections originate in clinical or hospital settings, you might be screened for MRSA if you've been in a facility where a known outbreak has occurred or if you show any early warning signs or symptoms. A screening might be ordered as a precautionary measure, even if you're showing no symptoms whatsoever. Go with it, as it's better to be safe than sorry, particularly because staph infections can be fatal.
4. Special Considerations for Individuals With a History of MRSA Infection
If you have had an MRSA or staph infection in the past, you're considered to be in a high-risk group for contracting a subsequent infection. You might be screened for MRSA infection if you're hospitalized for other reasons, given the prevalence of staphylococcus in hospitals and clinics. You should be particularly vigilant about any signs or symptoms of MRSA infection if you're over the age of 65 or if you have immune deficiencies or weaknesses.
