(c) MRSA Action UK June 2008
MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is a common type of bacteria that can live harmlessly on the skin but sometimes it can cause a number of common infections such as boils and wound infections. Methicillin is a type of penicillin. MRSA is not killed by the usual antibiotics and tends to be more common in hospital, because people are more likely to get infections when they are already unwell. MRSA can cause serious chronic wound infections which take a long time to heal and sometimes can lead to blood poisoning.
Staphylococcus aureus is quite common: around 30% of people carry the germ in their nose or on their skin, this is often referred to as being 'colonised'. Only 6% of patients coming to hospital for surgery may be colonised with MRSA. It is not normally a risk to healthy people and the majority of people who carry it, do not have any symptoms and aren't aware they are carrying it. Older people are more likely to be affected but only because they are more often in hospital.
Screening for MRSA
Screening for MRSA will take place for all patients who are going into hospital from March 2009, some hospitals are already carrying out screening for patients. Screening for emergency admissions will be phased in over the next three years. The Department of Health now requires that hospitals do this to reduce the numbers of people getting MRSA infections, as it is better to prevent infections that can be difficult to treat and make your stay in hospital longer.
How will I be screened for MRSA?
The hospital or clinic treating you can find out if you are carrying MRSA by taking a sample swab from the inside of your nose and from other areas on your skin. This test is painless.
You may be screened in a pre-surgery assessment clinic or by your GP. You will be contacted if the result is positive, and the test results will be sent to your GP.
What if I am colonised with MRSA?
If you are carrying MRSA you will have treatment before your planned operation to protect you from getting ill after the operation and infecting other patients.
You are unlikely to suffer any harm or infect anyone else. It is only a risk to family members if they themselves are expecting to have an operation in the near future. Good hygiene and not sharing personal items such as towels, flannels, razors etc will reduce the risks of passing on MRSA. Anyone with open wounds, scratches or abrasions will need to keep these with covered with a waterproof dressing if they are involved in your care at home. If you are worried about MRSA talk to the clinic nurse, your GP or Practice Nurse.
Treatment for colonisation with MRSA
Your doctor will tell you what you need to do and will give you an information sheet to help you remember everything. You may be able to collect your medicines from your outpatient clinic, or you may contact your GP to receive the prescription. The treatment involves washing your hair and skin with special soap and changing all your clothes, sheets and pillowcases every day for five days, these will need to be laundered on a hot wash cycle, ironing can also kill any bacteria. There are also laundry detergents that can kill bacteria at lower temperatures, you can contact us if you need more information.
Your treatment should continue for five days until the day of your surgery. If your operation is delayed more than a few days, the process will have to be restarted five days before the new expected date. You should not need to be screened again before your surgery unless there has been a gap or more than two weeks between being tested positive for MRSA and the date of your surgery.
You should not need to stay in hospital whilst you are being treated unless you are unable to manage the treatment yourself. MRSA cannot be cleared from open wounds so if you have any cuts or wounds you need to cover these with a dressing during the treatment and when you are in hospital. Your doctor can discuss this with you.
Further Information
You can find out more about MRSA by:
Asking your hospital doctor, or Day Surgery Unit
Asking your GP or Practice Nurse
Telephoning NHS Direct on 0845 46 47
Using the NHS Direct website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
