(Things to think about when you, Citizen, go through the shoe carnival!)
Control of Antibiotic Resistant Organisms in Home Settings, Specifically Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Staphylococcus aureus is a common type of bacteria (germ) that is often found in the nose, but can also grow in wounds and other sites of the body. Methicillin is an antibiotic (drug) that is used to treat these infections. Over time, the bacteria have become resistant to methicillin so that the drug is no longer able to kill the germ. If a person has an infection with this germ that cannot be treated with methicillin, the person is said to have MRSA and finding proper treatment is a challenge.
How are these germs spread from one person to another?
MRSA is transmitted primarily by contact with a person who has an infection or is colonized with the bacteria. The germ can be spread by direct contact with the person or by the hands of someone caring for the person touching others before washing hands. MRSA can survive for an hour or more on environmental surfaces such as
floors, sinks, blood pressure cuffs, etc...
http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epi/mrsavref.htm
