Question

Review an article about one of the following infections/superbugs: MRSA, VRE or C-diff.

1. How is the infection spread?
2. Is it treatable and preventable?
3. Are there long-term effects if left untreated?
4. How prevalent is the infection/How common is it?
5. Discuss an incident of a poor outcome or fatality related to the infection.

Answer 1

Health is a most important part of one's life.Most of the time the illness overtakes it either in form of physical or mental stress.It can occur at any place,anytime ,anywhere.One such place is the healthcare sector where this can occur Healthcare is very broad sector where infections spreads easily with even mild negligence. MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is an infection which should be taken seriously to prevent major problems. It is spread by contact (touching an infected patient and not washing hands, handling contaminated linens,wounds)

It is treatable and preventable. The treatment guidelines are if empirical(Application of Mupirocin ointment on nares ,axillary and groins thrice a day for 5 days and bathing with CHG solution once a day is essential .Test on 5th or seventh day if negative discontinue treatment, if positive recommended for another 3 days and repeat test for negative results.

In certain cases oral antibiotics or intravenous antibiotics are given as per the patient status or infection level.

It is preventable by proper handwashing and if infected completing the course of antibiotics or the desired treatment ,use of personal protective equipments ,following guidelines as per the hospital policy,isolation of high risk patients. In simple contact precautions to be taken

The long term effect is its entry into blood stream causing infection called bacteremia, heart as endocarditis, affecting the bones and soft tissues ,can lead to pneumonia

It can be seen in two in atleast 100 people or 2%.In general 33% are carrier of it.

One of the poor outcome is blood infection and affecting the vital organs leading to dysfunction and life threatening situations or even death.This common in patients who are not treated for a long period.