Methicillin-resistant bacteria a greater health threat

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Methicillin-resistant bacteria a greater health threat

Posted 8-30-99
By Barbara Tone, RN

Atlanta. A dangerous bacteria has made its way out of hospitals and into the community, prompting the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn health professionals to be on the lookout.

Typically, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have been seen only in patients with serious medical conditions, recent or current hospitalization, or residence in long-term care facilities. But since 1997, four children from Minnesota and North Dakota have died of MRSA. The children ranged in age from 16 months to 13 years, had no known risk factors, and came from diverse ethnic backgrounds, according to the CDC.

An Aug. 20 CDC report notes that MRSA has become an increasing problem since its first U.S. appearance in 1968. The percentage of nosocomial S. aureus samples found in hospitals that were methicillin-resistant increased from 2 percent in 1974 to 50 percent in 1997.

The diversity of the four community cases suggests that MRSA colonization may be widespread, particularly in the regions reported, but the extent of community-acquired MRSA infection in the United States is unknown, according to the CDC. Officials want healthcare providers to be aware of the potential for MRSA infection among patients not previously thought to be at risk. "We'd like to see that healthcare providers ensure an appropriate work-up when patients present to a healthcare facility, and that the laboratory has knowledge of the identification methods for drug-resistant bacteria," said William Jarvis, MD, the CDC's chief of investigations and prevention for hospital infections.

Officials are also warning against the overuse of antibiotics, which creates "super germs" resistant to standard treatment. "The consumer message here is that patients should not insist on antibiotics for everything; they are only for use in appropriate situations," said Buddy Ferguson, public information officer for the Minnesota Department of Health. "The other message, aimed more at [health professionals], is to be aware of the symptoms that might be suggestive of this kind of infection."