Charlene (Terre Haute, Indiana) on 10/05/2012

MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus. The reason why MRSA is much more serious than the usual Staph we all carry on our skin is because very few antibiotics can treat it successfully. It is stubborn and can cause serious and lingering infections. These infections can be infections in the skin, respiratory tract, urinary tract, etc. You name it, MRSA can find a way to it.

MRSA used to be something that was only seen in hospitals or other institutional facilities. Now it is out into our communities and the new MRSA is called community acquired MRSA. Overuse of antiobiotics is what health professionals are saying is why this type of infection has come about. It is typically a staph infection that has become resistant to most antibiotics. Even so, I do not think anyone really knows the full answer as to why this superbug is upon us. In my opinion, 10-20 years from now, they may decide it was something else we were all doing, eating, using, etc that brought this about.

An even worse infection than MRSA is VRSA which is even more antibiotic resistant than MRSA. The "V" in VRSA stands for Vancomycin if I am not mistaken. Please, someone correct me if I am wrong here. Vancomycin is one of the antibiotics that is used now to get rid of stubborn MRSA. It is the one sure one that will kill it eventually. Vancomycin is given by way of IV and is usually done in a hospital. Some people though I do know have had a PICC line put in place and can hook their own IVs up at home if they are well enough.

You all can google more about MRSA and VRSA and you can find loads of information about them, but I still truly do not think that anyone really knows why these superbugs for sure have come about.

Sorry for butting in here, I don't mean any harm. I am a nurse and I have treated others with IV antiobiotics for MRSA many many times in my years as a nurse. Now, in the last two years, I have battled it myself on my skin. I think I may be a carrier of it, as I was tested positive for it in my nostrils a couple of years ago, and the doctor told me then that I am a probable carrier of it and to always, always use thorough handwashing techniques. That is all fine to keep others from contracting it, but this is the third time for me that I have had a bad infection myself from it. It is frustrating as all get out.