What is MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most meaningful in human pathologies (when growing on hard growth medium it produces carotinoids colouring colonies in golden-yellow colour). According to the WHO, Staphylococcus aureus in on the top of the list of bacterias causing infection of people in hospitals (there are other statistics: not always everything is sterile in hospitals). Patients with weakened immune system (e.g. infected with AIDS) are the most susceptible to staphylococcus as well as patients with intentionally suppressed immune system who are subject to transplantations or implants inserting (these are people who are most often in hospitals).
The risk of MRSA infection is very high when using intravenous cannula or other medical appliances contacting with internal environment of the body, e.g. when applying intravenous nutrition of premature infants or hemodialysis (artificial blood cleansing in a special device replacing work of kidneys). Artificial lungs ventilation is also a risk factor. Staphylococcus infection may also occur as a rusult of breaking general hygiene rules in hospitals. Staphylococcus aureus includes 31% of all infections acquiried in hospitals.
If infections in hospitals are at least recorded, we can only guess how many people are infected during surgical non-medical manipulations, e.g. during tattooing, ear and other piercing… Intravenous drug abusers are also in Staphylococcus aureus risk group.
Staphylococcus is rather resistant to drying, frosting, sunlight and chemical explosure (in a dry condition staphylococcus lives up to 6 months, in dust – from 50 to 100 days). Neither repeated frosting and defrosting, nor many hours of direct sunlight explosure kill staphylococcus. Staphylococcus infection can withstand more that one hour heating to 70 °C. On 80 °C, staphylococcus dies in 10-60 minutes, imiediately dies on boiling, a 5% phenol solution kills it within 15-30 minutes.
MRSA is capable to survive in a sodium chloride solution – common salt and in perspiratory glands (it produces lipase, an enzyme destroying fats and oil plug in hair follicle orifices). Almost in 100% of cases, S. aureus causes skin abscesses (boil, sty, furuncule, carbuncle, etc.).
