Anyone know about MRSA?

[CurlyQ284]

I posted this in the randoms but I'm getting more nervous the more I Google. We met some people tonight, one of the moms added me on Facebook and I found out her LO (that my DS played with a little bit) was hospitalized with croup yesterday and had MRSA a month ago.

I just read that people can carry MRSA and spread it without showing symptoms for weeks/months/years. Have you seen that actually happen?

I wiped his hands down with antibacterial wipes a few times because he was getting into dirt and stuff. When we got home I gave him a bath and washed his hands with antibacterial soap. That's really all I can do, right?

[orangeblossom]

Yes, that's really all you can do. As long as his wounds were covered (if he had any) and you've washed your hands and your DSs hand you should be fine.

"Regular" staph and MRSA are everywhere, so while you do know that he had it, if you were to get it down the line, it could just have easily been picked up somewhere else.

30% of the population has staph on their body at any given time; it's a common bacteria carried on people. It generally is not harmful. About 6% have MRSA at any given time. Sometimes it's active, sometimes it's not.

[donutsmakemegonuts]

Yes, pretty much!

[CurlyQ284]

DS doesn't have any wounds. I'm not sure if the other kid did. He was wearing long sleeves and pants. None on his hands or face but that's all I could see.

[Deleted]

Weird, GBCN ate my reply. Anyway, I was just reading this article. wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/7/7/pdfs/01-7705.pdf
Pretty interesting and short read about antibacterial products and these 'superbugs'.

[TrudyCampbell]

MRSA and staph are everywhere, really. You did everything you could!

[JayhawkGirl]

I agree, MRSA is everywhere. Wash hands well, hope for the best. If he comes up with any sores, have the pediatrician look at it/them. My old boss' daughter had it and would get abscesses from time to time that would have to be drained in the office and treated. It would come & go over the few years we worked together.

[kcr1972]

My boyfriend has/had Mrsa and VRE both are considered nasty superbugs. I have never caught either. As long as you keep things clean and his hands washed you should be ok.

[fryjack2]

Ditto that its everywhere. Its this big scary thing in the media because sometimes it can be. If it gets in your blood stream or if you are immunocompromised and get a bad infection and can't clear it.

Its so widespread that contact precautions are not even used anymore in health care offices. Just inpatient units. At least here.

As long as you don't come into direct contact with an open sore, you should be fine.

[CurlyQ284]

Thanks guys! Believe it or not I hadn't heard of it in the media. I just saw a series of posts on her FB about this huge boil and all the treatments etc and it freaked me out so I googled and then got more freaked out.

[tdk2]

Ahh. I have been freaking myself out a little this week. I got a random sore on my lower back post hospital stay and now a weird mild rash on the palm of my hand that looks like little bites. I'm sure it's nothing, but I internally started freaking out that I might have mrsa from the hospital stay.


This is a total confession here because I feel like a hypochondriac. I REALLY don't want to make another dr appt - i feel like I"m there all the time btwn the kid appts but I don't want to pass anything if it is something. omg, I can't believe i confessed on here what a hypochondriac I am at the moment. I actually googled pictures last night. And I made dh google them as well. They were all more extreme than what my sore looks like, but dude, I think I need to reassure myself and go in. (I also need my knee looked at, so that will be the main trip)


So. I'm glad ppl reassured here about transmission. And I hope you guys are fine. That's what I've read too about how it's spread/no open wounds should be ok.

Lol that I'm a freak and wondering if I have it. SUCH a dork.

[Deleted]

I've had MRSA sores and I've yet to infect anyone.

I wouldn't worry to much about it. If you notice any red bumps, just keep an eye on them, and if they start to grow or become painful take him to the doctor. They are very painful to the touch, you'll know if it's the start of a sore or something like a bug bite.

[roo54]

I was told by DD's dr that its similar to any other virus. Lots of people carry it, and there's nothing that you can really do. My grandmother has it and we questioned him about DD spending a lot of time with her.

[MrsAggie]

MRSA is really common. Since I work in a hospital, I'm almost certain that I carry it. It is what it is. That doesn't mean you will ever necessarily be hospitalized for MRSA. I'd be more concerned about watching for croup symptoms TBH.

[CurlyQ284]

Oct 28, 2013 6:44:18 GMT -5 MrsAggie said:

MRSA is really common. Since I work in a hospital, I'm almost certain that I carry it. It is what it is. That doesn't mean you will ever necessarily be hospitalized for MRSA. I'd be more concerned about watching for croup symptoms TBH.

I'm watching that too. This morning he seems extra tired. He kept laying on my shoulder which he rarely does, laid down on the floor for a minute etc. He is usually VERY active, I have to strap him into his highchair or car seat to get him to sit still and drink his bottle because he wants to play. I'm on high alert for any illness.

[Norticprincess]

Bacteria, not a virus

It can colonize on the skin and if you've spent much time I a hospital you popup positive as a carrier every once in awhile. If it is a nasal colony they give you bactroban to put up your nose.

I had one carrier culture show up positive almost two years ago. Docs decolonized it and haven't tested positive since. I had no real immune system at the time. Never showed any signs or symptoms of an infection

[Deleted]

I'd be more concerned that she took him out the night after he'd been hospitalized with croup. Wtf?

[CurlyQ284]

Oct 28, 2013 7:26:20 GMT -5 @jezebel said:

I'd be more concerned that she took him out the night after he'd been hospitalized with croup. Wtf?

They were out all day. We left around 5:30 to get DS home for his night routine but they stayed from 1 pm until dark at least (saw FB pix).

[dirtyred]

Oct 27, 2013 20:22:26 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Yes, that's really all you can do. As long as his wounds were covered (if he had any) and you've washed your hands and your DSs hand you should be fine.

"Regular" staph and MRSA are everywhere, so while you do know that he had it, if you were to get it down the line, it could just have easily been picked up somewhere else.

30% of the population has staph on their body at any given time; it's a common bacteria carried on people. It generally is not harmful. About 6% have MRSA at any given time. Sometimes it's active, sometimes it's not.

This.

You can be colonized with MRSA and not know it.  When I used to work in a children's hospital 15 years ago, they did a survey where (with parental permission) a nasal swab was done on every child. About 3% tested positive for MRSA.

So your kid could be playing with all sorts of kids who harbor MRSA and you just don't know it.

[racegrrl714]

Oct 27, 2013 22:30:01 GMT -5 CurlyQ284 said:

Thanks guys! Believe it or not I hadn't heard of it in the media. I just saw a series of posts on her FB about this huge boil and all the treatments etc and it freaked me out so I googled and then got more freaked out.

Totally understandable. My kid got MRSA from her daycare. We had to hospitalize her twice last year because of boils/cellulitis from MRSA but thankfully , knock on wood, praise Jeebus, etc. We haven't had another breakout. Our last time in the hospital was actually last Halloween. Poor kid didn't even get to trick or treat.