Methicilin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is a penicillin-resistant strain of staphylococcus aureus, an organism that normally lives on the skin of healthy people, and sometimes in their nasal passages. MRSA can enter the body through openings in the skin--cuts, sores, breathing tubes, catheters or other medical devices. Recognizing the early symptoms of MRSA and seeking medical treatment can minimize the risk of widespread infection.
Localized Skin Infection
A skin infection caused by MRSA may appear as a red, swollen and tender skin lesion that resembles a pimple, boil or spider bite. The center may be yellow or white, or be draining pus. The infection can develop quickly into a deep, painful abscess, folliculitis or furuncle that must be drained surgically. Antibiotic treatment may be required if the patient is elderly, the symptoms are severe or have begun to spread to other parts of the body. Antibiotics that can successfully treat MRSA include clindamycin, tetracycline, rifampin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or vancomycin, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cellulitis
MRSA can cause cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the deepest layer of the skin. At first, the infected area may resemble a spider bite with redness, warmth, swelling, pain or tenderness at the site. Unlike a skin infection, however, there will be no pus present. As the infection worsens, the skin begins to look glossy and tight, and the deep skin tissues become red, hot, irritated and painful. The patient may have fever, chills and muscle aches as well. According to the National Institutes of Health, cellulitis can be serious and possibly fatal, so prompt medical attention is necessary.
Widespread Symptoms
A serious MRSA infection may invade the lungs, heart, bones, joints and bloodstream, a condition called bacteremia. Patients may experience fever, chills, chest pain, cough, fatigue, malaise, headache, muscle aches, rash or shortness of breath. According to Dr. Susan J. Rehm in the March 2008 issue of the "Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine," MRSA has been cited as a cause of some cases of necrotizing pneumonia, which destroys lung tissue.
Positive Blood Cultures
Health care providers may order cultures of the blood, sputum, urine or a wound of a patient whose symptoms indicate the possibility of a MRSA infection, according to the National Institutes of Health. The presence of the organism confirms a presumptive diagnosis of MRSA.
