Sepsis and MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA is a staph infection that is immune to many types of antibiotics. (Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)/Antibiotic Resistance) Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that lives on our skin and, most of the time, causes no ill effects. Problems may arise, however, if there is a break in the skin – through a cut, a puncture, or some other opening – that allows the staph to enter into the body.

An unchecked infection may develop into sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that happens when your body’s response to an infection damages vital organs and, often, causes death. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.

There are two types of MRSA infections: community-acquired (CA) and hospital-acquired (HA). The most common type is HA-MRSA, but CA-MRSA is becoming more common.

Suggested Citation:
Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and MRSA. 2024. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/mrsa/

Updated February 16, 2024.

More About MRSA

Spread

Most often, MRSA infection spreads by skin-to-skin contact or through contact with items contaminated by the bacteria. For example, if you skin your knee on a surface that has MRSA, it could enter your body through the break in the skin.

Healthcare-acquired infections are spread by the people inside a healthcare facility. They may touch a patient who has MRSA and then transmit the bacteria to another patient. Patients may also contract MRSA in a facility if they touch contaminated objects, such as a bedside table or bed rails.

Symptoms

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), MRSA infections usually appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that might be:

Red
Swollen
Painful
Warm to the touch
Full of pus or other drainage
Accompanied by a fever

At-Risk Groups

Anyone can develop this type infection, however people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses do have a higher risk. MRSA also spreads easily within healthcare settings.

Treatment

Although MRSA is bacteria methicillin-resistant, it can often be treated with another type of antibiotic.

For effective MRSA treatment, the infection must be caught and treated as early as possible.

Prevention

Not all infections can be prevented, but the chances of spreading infections can be greatly reduced by following these tips:

Wash your hands often, particularly if you are in a healthcare facility.
Keep wounds clean and covered.
Avoid sharing personal items, such as razors.

You can also help protect yourself by eating a healthy diet. Malnutrition, not consuming enough nutrients for your needs, can lower your body’s ability to fight infection.

Related Resources

Information Guide

Information Guide

Tina Minnich

In September of 2023 I started having pain in my left knee, it progressed quickly to the point I couldn’t walk. I went to the ER 3 times crying in pain and they really didn’t do anything. To them I was obese and already had arthritis so why look further. The next night I couldn’t take the pain anymore. My sister brought me to the ER and yelled at them to do something. I don’t remember much until I woke up about 2 weeks later on a ventilator. My sister told me I had MRSA in the knee and I ... Read Full Story

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Paul Borgman

This is my story. It started four and a half years ago, at the age of 57. I had been fighting a chronic ulcer on my left foot due to non-diabetic neuropathy and also stress fractures in my metatarsal bones. I was being treated regularly by a podiatrist but wasn’t able to heal completely because as an energy engineer, I performed field audits and did a lot of walking. A few weeks after a visit to a hospital for some x-rays on my foot, I started feeling sick – urinary issues, lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite. Then in a few ... Read Full Story

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Aletheia C.

It was a hot day in NM. I had only been in town a few months; still getting to know everything. I took a needed shower in the public facility I was at and borrowed a shaver to shave my legs. A couple hours later I felt horribly ill, like I had the worst flu. It came on suddenly; I couldn’t explain it. I somehow made it to where I was staying; spent the night flat barely moving. Someone convinced me to seek help, so I went to an Urgent Care. My fever was 103°F so they called transport. I ... Read Full Story

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Brittany G.

It was Easter Sunday April 2023 that I went into septic shock. (Sepsis and Septic Shock) Early in the day I started vomiting, having chills, dizziness. It just didn’t stop along with other symptoms. Each hour got worse, I couldn’t eat or drink anything. Then I couldn’t stand up, it felt like my head was a slab of heavy concrete holding me down. My body was weak and yet my heart was racing at an alarming rate. As an overall healthy 32 year old/ avid runner and gym-goer, this wasn’t normal to me. It felt like my system was shutting ... Read Full Story

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Kathy Fontenot

I had a knee replacement go awry. I never really recovered from the replacement. Lots of pain and swelling. Surgeon said swelling was normal and I could expect it for a year after surgery. No blood tests, no X-rays. (Sepsis and Surgery, Sepsis and Joint Replacements) I started feeling more and more exhausted. My husband saved my life. I initially refused to go to the emergency room after three days of fever. I felt like I was too sick to go. Obviously some brain fog too. 😄 I spent a month in the hospital after MRSA was found in my ... Read Full Story

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