MRSA

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MRSA Death

MRSA deaths are on the rise in the United States and around the world. A study published in mid-October in JAMA, the American Medical Association's journal, reported that there were an estimated 18,650 MRSA deaths in the U.S. in 2005. The MRSA death rate in the U.S. is now higher than the AIDS death rate.

Worse Than Expected

In fact, the number of MRSA-related deaths in the U.S. is significantly higher than public health officials once thought. Although MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infections are usually harmless, they can be life-threatening when they enter an open wound or develop in individuals whose immune systems are compromised, such as the elderly, infants, HIV-positive patients, and patients who undergo invasive medical procedures.

Even Among the Healthy

The news of an MRSA death in an otherwise-healthy 17-year-old boy in Virginia illustrates the potential for fatal MRSA infections even among the general population. Individuals can develop serious MRSA infections from contact with the bacteria in the community at large, or in healthcare settings.

According to the JAMA study, about 85% of the invasive MRSA infections reported were associated with the patients' healthcare experience. About two-thirds of the time, the MRSA developed when the patient was not staying at the hospital or clinic, and about one-third of the infections developed during hospitalization.

More and More Common

What's also worrisome is the continuing growth of the MRSA infection rate. MRSA is a "superbug" that has mutated to be resistant to almost all types of treatment. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), MRSA infections accounted for just 2% of the total number of staph infections in 1974; the percentage had grown to 22% by 1995, and in 2004 the percentage of MRSA infections was 63%.

Preventing an MRSA Infection

The JAMA study noted that nearly 95,000 people contracted serious MRSA infections in the U.S. in 2005. The 18,650 MRSA deaths that year would account for almost 20% of that number.

MRSA deaths can often be prevented — primarily by preventing a serious MRSA infection in the first place. Treatment with the antibiotic vancomycin can still be effective against MRSA, but even this effectiveness cannot be counted on. It's best to prevent MRSA by:

washing your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
insisting that healthcare staff wash their hands before coming into contact with you
keeping scrapes and cuts clean and bandaged
avoiding contact with other people's scrapes, cuts, and bandages
not sharing personal items such as bath towels or sporting equipment

Consult an MRSA Lawyer

If your family member has contracted an MRSA infection and you suspect that it is due to unacceptable conditions at a healthcare setting, school, or other public place, use the form above to contact an experienced attorney and discuss your legal rights.

Medical Malpractice Breaking News

"Child Dies from Misdiagnosis"

A New York woman whose 12-year-old son died from the drug-resistant staph infection MRSA announced that she is suing a city hospital for $25 million.

“What my son go...

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