As of 2010, a handful of antibiotics such as vancomycin, linezolid, rifampin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim are still effective in treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. While serious inflections can be treated with intravenous administration of any of these antibiotics, minor MRSA skin infections are treated with mupirocin ointment. In some instances, superficial infections can be treated by draining the wound and removing all the pus. The benefits of getting treated for this potentially fatal infection far outweigh the remote possibility of complications.
Vancomycin-Related Complications
Vancomycin is administered intravenously. Allergic reactions can occur if the drug is not administered very slowly. According to Drugs.com, these reactions include anaphylactoid symptoms such as hypotension, wheezing, itching, hives, shortness of breath and flushing. This complication did not occur at all when the drug was administered to volunteers at a rate of 10mg per minute or less.
Drugs.com also reports that while renal complications are rare, they do occur in patients who receive large doses. This complication is seen most frequently in patients who already have kidney disease or who are also taking aminoglycosides.
Linezolid-Related Complications
As of 2010, vancomycin remains the drug of choice for treating MRSA. However, linezolid is gaining prominence. A 2009 review of the literature published in the "Journal of Medical Microbiology" indicates that linezolid is preferred for MRSA infections involving the central nervous system. A 2010 paper in the "American Journal of Medical Sciences" reports that a number of vancomycin-resistant strains have emerged, so linezolid may emerge as the new drug of choice.
Linezolid can produce allergic reactions comparable to those produced by vancomycin. Drugs.com also reports that the most common side effects of linezolid are a bad taste in the mouth, constipation, gastrointestinal distress, dizziness, headache and insomnia.
Lancing Complication
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that treatment of superficial MRSA infections of the skin can involve lancing the infection and draining the pus. The CDC cautions patients against trying to do this themselves because the infection could spread or get worse.
References
- Drugs: Linezolid
- MedlinePlus: MRSA
- "Journal of Medical Microbiology"; Central Nervous System Invasion by Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus; R. Naesens et al.; June 2009
- Drugs: Vancomycin
- "American Journal of Medical Science"; Treatment of Infections Caused by Antimicrobial-Resistant Gram-Positive Bacteria; K.K. Kinney; September 2010
