Drug-resistant staph infections (including MRSA) are declining in hospitals, but MRSA and other infectious agents are still out there. The trick is to keep them from spreading to others and to protect yourself from people and objects that might carry infection.
A staph infection can show up as an abscess, boil or furuncle (a boil that involves a hair follicle and nearby skin). It may be red, swollen and painful.
If the infection moves into the bloodstream, doctors at Duke Medicine say it can cause low blood pressure, chills or fever.
Basic hygiene is still the most important part of protection.
* Wash hands frequently. Do it before eating, before and after using the bathroom, after contact with animals, after social outings and shopping, and when returning home from work.
* Because excessive antibiotic use can give an advantage to drug-resistant bacteria, take antibiotics only when necessary. When prescribed, take the correct and whole dose and finish the entire prescription.
* Don’t share personal items, such as towels, clothing, combs or razors.
* Cover any wound with a dry, sterile bandage.
* Avoid contact with other people’s bandages or wounds.
* If you have a sore or break in the skin, wash and dry clothes, towels and bed linens on the high-heat settings.