MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)

What are hospital acquired infections?  
Sometimes when patients are admitted to a hospital, they get infections. These are called hospital acquired infections. In the case of MRSA, this may mean that symptoms began 72 hours after admission to the hospital or the infection was present at the time of admission, but was related to a previous admission to the same hospital within the last four weeks.  
   
What is MRSA?  
MRSA is a type of bacteria, staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to most antibiotics used to treat it. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria or germ that can be found normally on the skin or in the nose of 20 to 30 per cent of the population.  
   
What are the symptoms of MRSA?  
There are no specific symptoms of MRSA because it can be normal nose or skin bacteria. MRSA can cause infection when it gets through the skin or into other body sites. Impetigo and boils are some of the skin conditions caused by MRSA. Possible infections could be in blood, lungs, wound or urinary tract and bladder. Signs and symptoms vary with the infection site and could include fever, chills, coughing from bronchitis or pneumonia, wounds not healing or increased redness and drainage or burning and frequent of urination.  
   
How do you get MRSA?  
MRSA is mainly a hospital acquired infection. Patients who are in hospitals, dialysis units or nursing homes are more likely to be exposed to MRSA. MRSA is one of the common outbreaks found in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Recently a new community acquired type of MRSA bacteria has been found outside hospitals that causes skin infections in healthy people.  
   
How is MRSA treated?  
Since MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics, it can be difficult to treat. However, some antibiotics can successfully cure MRSA infections. It is important to take all of the doses of your antibiotic even if the infection is getting better.  
   
What precautions are used to prevent MRSA in the hospital?  
Safety is one of Ontario Shores' core values, and we have implemented a number of initiatives to enhance the safety for our patients, staff and the community.  
   
Our Infection Prevention and Control department has provided hand hygiene and core competencies training to staff and patients. They conduct a daily review of all patients and have launched the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's “Just Clean Your Hands” campaign.  
   
In the event there is a hospital acquired infection, staff are trained to watch for symptoms and implement proper protocols when treating the patient.

MRSA Infection Rates

Newly diagnosed health care associated MRSA bacteremia (bloodstream infection) rate per 1000 patient days.  
 

 See reporting at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.