The MRSA-Staph Boogedy Man

I was recently bit by the MRSA bug which I previously thought was the equivalent of the Boogedy Man. I rarely watch the news but I had a few buzzlings in my ear about this new so-called killer infection that was going around. I thought, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like bird flu, swine flu, and the African killer bees, right? Yeah, some people got it and died from it but it’s nothing major to worry about, especially nothing to PANIC about..."



Well, this is a warning to those who are not believers! The Boogedy Man is REAL! You just don’t realize it until he catches you!

My Story:

My doctor tried one antibiotic shot and a combination of two oral antibiotics...didn't work, just got bigger. My temp was 99.5 without pain relievers.

The next day, he then attempted to drain it...didn't drain. Without pain reliever, my temp was 99.5. I was given a larger dose of the antibiotic shot and told to continue the oral antibiotics...didn't work, but did not get any bigger.

The next day, my temp was 100.8 without any pain relievers. The doctor replaced one of the oral antibiotics I was taking with a stronger antibiotic and opened up the hole a little bit more, and it worked... Five days later, it had gone down and did not have any drainage, however I decided to keep covering the incision with guaze and tape (or a band-aid) until it healed completely.

From Thursday to Monday I actually lost 7 lbs! No complaints there!

10 days after I 1st noticed the infection...

Info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as “staph,” is a type of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes, staph can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor (such as pustules and boils) and can be treated without antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections (such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia).

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) refers to types of staph that are resistant to a type of antibiotic methicillin. MRSA is often resistant to other antibiotics, as well. While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph (meaning that bacteria are present, but not causing an infection with staph), approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.

More Links:

1. Staph Article from www.TeensHealth.org

2. Click here for a really unbelievable case found on Oprah.com:
Dr. Oz's Warning About MRSA and Deadly Bacteria


How can you prevent the spread of Staph/MRSA infection?

1.) Keep your immune system in check. Your body's ability to fight off infections can determine how sick this superbug can make you, if you even get an infection at all. (See "Myra's Weight Loss Challenge")


2.) Don't take antibiotics when you're not sick. Don't take antibiotics to treat viruses (viral infections) because they will not work. Be sure to use antibiotic ointments sparingly on cuts and scrapes or not at all.

Bacteria are living organisms just like humans and giraffes. Years ago, giraffes used to have short necks. Then something happened to the climate where the trees grew taller and the food source was now high up in the air. So the giraffes with really short necks eventually died out and the ones with long necks survived because they were able to get food. Today, all giraffes have long nexts.


Wait a minute...I think that's called natural selection... so maybe it was a little bit of natural selection and possibly a bit genetic adaptation/mutation whereby the genes began to change to ensure the survival of the species. Scientists believe that the giraffes began stretching their necks to get the food and this also caused their genes to mutate. So over time, with natural selection and genetic mutation, all giraffes came to have long necks.

So that's what happens to bacteria. The strong ones survive, adapt, and mutate, then future generations are able to withstand a little bit better, that which many of the previous generations could not withstand. That is MRSA. Staph bacteria's new distant cousin can survive and thrive when attacked with many different types of antibiotics which the weaker Staph cousins are unable to survive.

Over time, constant exposure to anti-biotics will only give the bacteria plenty of opportunity to practice getting their genetics right. So don't do that!


3. Be clean but not too clean.

It's best to bring out the guns when you have an active infection or you know you might have been exposed: Antiseptic hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes, etc. I have seen recomendations for shower/bath daily and at least once per week with anti-bacterial soap, however I continue to use the anti-bacterial soap daily. I do admit that many days I shower/bathe twice daily (short showers)...hmm.

However, just as bacteria adapt to antibiotics, they can also adapt to germicides... It only takes a couple of strong ones to live on, then soon you'll have a whole colony of "resistant" bacteria who just won't die! :-(

Very, very, scary!