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Growth Of Staph Infections Is Serious

In sports, body contact or equipment sharing are common causes of staph cross-infections that can be passed on to other team members. An antimicrobial, antiseptic skin cleanser can be part of an effective defense for preventing the spread of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus).

If you notice any of the following symptoms (or any abnormal skin conditions), notify your medical staff immediately:

· Boils: tender, red lumps that swell and get pimple-like white heads.

· Boils can form on oily or moist skin such as neck, armpits, groin and buttocks.

· Small red bumps that look like spider bites or ingrown hairs.

· Pain out of proportion to skin conditions.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE:

· Wash hands at least 3 times per day or whenever they are visibly soiled with a skin cleanser to help prevent cross-contamination.

· Shower immediately after activity in water as hot as can be comfortably tolerated using an antimicrobial cleaner.

· Advise people you come into close contact with to wash their hands with a liquid antimicrobial cleanser.

· Keep wounds and lesions covered with clean, dry bandages. This is especially important when drainage is present.

· Disinfect all towels, sheets, and surfaces that come into contact with the wound with a solution of 1:100 of household bleach to water.

· Wash and dry clothes, linens and towels on the HOT setting if possible. If not possible, make sure all fabrics are COMPLETELY dry before removing from the dryer.

· Avoid participating in contact sports or other skin-to-skin contact until the infection has healed.

· Use a skin antiseptic to treat MRSA on the skin, in combination with antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor/medical staff.

· Use a skin antiseptic for the prevention of skin infections.

· Wash hands and forearms above the elbow before and after activity where contamination is likely.

THINGS NOT TO DO:

· Get in a whirlpool or common tub.

· Share bars of soap, razors, towels, or athletic gear.

· Wait to see if it gets better on its own.

· Contact infected area with any surface that is shared by others.

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The above measures and guidelines are not intended as a substitute for institution procedures or professional medical advice. As with all matters potentially involving the spread of infectious diseases, advice should be sought from appropriate medical professionals.

An antibiotic resistant staph infection MRSA Fact sheet for patients can be accessed at http://www.ochealthinfo.com/docs/public/epi/mrsa/MRSA-FactSheet.pdf . Additional information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa.html .

This information was furnished by Mölnlycke Health Care US, LLC, Norcross , Georgia 30092 at 800-843-8497 or www.hibigeebies.com.