mrsa skin infection signs and symptoms

MRSA Skin Infection
Signs and Symptoms:
MRSA and other staph skin infections often
appear as a bump or infected area on the
skin that may be:
> Red
> Swollen or painful
> Warm to the touch
> Full of pus or other drainage
It is especially important to contact your
healthcare professional when MRSA skin
infection signs and symptoms are
accompanied by a fever.
© Bernard Cohen, MD, Dermatlas; www.dermatlas.org
A child’s first line of
defense against MRSA:
A well-informed PARENT.
© Bernard Cohen, MD, Dermatlas; www.dermatlas.org
For more information,
please call 1-800-CDC-INFO or
visit www.cdc.gov/MRSA.
http://phil.cdc.gov
Know how to recognize and
prevent MRSA skin infections.
Protect your
family from MRSA
How are MRSA skin infections treated?
skin infections
Treatment for MRSA skin infections may include
having a healthcare professional drain the infection
and, in some cases, prescribe an antibiotic. Do
not attempt to drain the infection yourself – doing
so could worsen or spread it to others. If you are
given an antibiotic, be sure to take all of the doses
(even if the infection is getting better), unless your
healthcare professional tells you to stop taking it.
Do not share antibiotics with other people or save
them to use later.
What is MRSA?
MRSA is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus, a potentially dangerous type of staph
bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics
and may cause skin and other infections. MRSA
is spread by having direct contact with another
person’s infection, by touching surfaces or
items contaminated with MRSA, or by sharing
personal items such as towels or razors that
have touched infected skin.
What are the signs and symptoms of
MRSA skin infections?
MRSA skin infections can occur anywhere
on the body. Some common sites are the
legs, buttocks, groin, and back of the neck.
MRSA usually appear as a bump or infected
area that is red, swollen, painful, warm to
the touch, or full of pus. If you or someone
in your family experiences these signs and
symptoms, cover the area with a bandage
and contact your healthcare professional. It is
especially important to contact your healthcare
professional if the signs and symptoms are
accompanied by a fever.
Developed with support from the CDC Foundation through
an educational grant from Pfizer Inc.
If I have an MRSA skin infection, how do
I prevent others from getting infected?
Cover your infection. Pus from an infected area
can contain regular staph or MRSA, so keeping it
covered will help prevent spreading the infection
to others. Follow your healthcare professional’s
instructions about proper care of the infection. Be
sure to discard bandages in the trash.
Clean your hands. You and your family should clean
your hands frequently with soap and water or an
alcohol-based hand rub, especially after changing
the bandage or touching the infected area.
Do not share personal items. Avoid sharing
personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, or
clothing that may have had contact with the infected
area or bandage. Wash soiled sheets, towels, and
clothes with water and laundry detergent. Use a
clothes dryer to dry clothes completely.
How can I protect my family from
MRSA skin infections?
>Know the signs of MRSA skin infections
and get treated early
>Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered
>Encourage good hygiene such as
cleaning hands regularly
>Discourage sharing of personal items
such as towels or razors
For more information, please
call 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit
www.cdc.gov/MRSA.
Promote one person one needle one time
Increase Hepatitis C and HIV testing and Hepatitis A & B immunizations
See back page for more on Hepatitis C.
Encourage referrals to social and medical services e.g. substance abuse
treatment, STD clinic, mental health, etc.
Confidential – No names requested or collected. Demographics asked,
e.g. race, age, resident of county. No answer required.
One for one — One used syringe for one new syringe.
Kitsap—(360) 337-5752 www.kitsappublichealth.org
Health District on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon.
1st visit – at reception “needle exchange, please”
2nd visits and beyond – go to special waiting room and call one of the staff
Hepatitis C screening, Hepatitis A & B vaccine, and HIV testing by appointment
Clallam— (360) 417-2274 www.clallam.net/HealthServices
Call for location. Tuesday evenings 6 to 8 pm.
Hepatitis C screening, Hepatitis A & B vaccine, HIV testing on site
Jefferson—(360) 385-9400 www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org
Jefferson County Public Health Monday & Wednesday 1:30—2:30 pm
Drop-ins okay if staff available Monday—Friday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Hepatitis C screening, Hepatitis A & B vaccine, HIV testing during Syringe Exchange Program
clinic hours and by appointment.
Kitsap
Clallam
Jefferson
2008 – Syringes
Contacts*
300,000
4,500
60,854
221
21,330
70
2007 – Syringes
210,000
38,723
24,585
Contacts*
3,271
338
65
2006 – Syringes
Contacts*
233,391
3,915
48,496
441
17,905
58
* May be duplicated
(6-4-09)RVSD 2-13-12
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus.
Symptoms Many persons who have hepatitis C have no symptoms. If symptoms occur, they do so an average of six to seven
weeks after exposure (but may occur two weeks to six months after exposure.) Symptoms may include fever, lack of energy, nausea,
vomiting, abdominal discomfort and jaundice (yellow color to the whites of the eyes or skin and darkening of urine). Most infected
persons develop chronic, long-term hepatitis C (carrier) and can spread the infection. Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver failure are
serious risks with this disease, but may take decades to develop.
Prevalence It is estimated that almost 4 million persons in the U. S. are infected with hepatitis C. It accounts for most of the
hepatitis cases that used to be referred to as non-A, non-B hepatitis. Hepatitis C is the leading cause for liver transplantation and
accounts for nearly 8,000—10,000 deaths each year in the U.S.
Spread The virus is spread mainly by direct contact with the blood from an infected person. About 80% of people who have ever
injected street drugs and/or shared injection drug equipment are infected with hepatic C. It can also be spread when health care workers
are exposed to an infected person’s blood, or through organ transplants or blood transfusions, especially those received prior to the
development of a hepatitis C test in the early 1990s. (Thanks to the tests developed for hepatitis C, the risk is now very low. Donated
blood has been routinely tested for hepatitis C since the early 1990s.)
Infected mothers can pass the virus to their babies but this is thought to occur at a low rate and accounts for about 5% of cases in the
United States. The risk of sexual transmission also appears to be low, accounting for about 5% of cases in this country. Other persons
at risk include kidney dialysis patients.
An infected person with no symptoms can still spread hepatitis C to others.
Vaccine? Not yet. There are vaccines for both hepatitis A and B.
They do not provide protection against hepatitis C.
Treatment The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved drugs for treating some persons with chronic hepatitis C. A
person with hepatitis C should never drink alcohol because it may cause further damage to the liver. Health care providers will test, do
regular monitoring, and vaccinate for other forms of hepatitis such as hepatitis A and B. Health care providers should monitor all
medications, including nonprescription and herbal remedies, to make sure they do not affect the liver.
Who should be tested?
1. Persons who
 Ever injected illegal drugs, including those who injected once or a few times many years ago and don’t consider themselves drug users.
 Received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987.
 Were ever on long-term kidney dialysis.
 Were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C.
 Received a transfusion of blood or blood components before July 1992.
 Received an organ transplant before July 1992
 Have persistently abnormal alanine aminotransferase levels (test of liver-s function).
 Injected or snorted street drugs, steroids, silicone or hormones.
 Had sex with someone who had Hepatitis C.
 Had tattoos or piercing done with unsterile equipment.
2. Healthcare, emergency medical, and public safety workers after needle sticks, or mucosal exposures to blood infected with hepatitis C virus.
3. Children born to mothers infected with hepatitis C.
Positive patients can avoid spreading Hepatitis C by:
Not sharing any needles or other drug equipment.
Not donating blood or organs.
Not sharing razors, toothbrushes, nail care devices , or any other personal items that might have blood on them.
Letting health care professionals who may be exposed to blood know that they have hepatitis C.
Informing sexual partners that they have hepatitis C and consider using latex condoms and barriers (even though sexual
transmission appears to be low).
 Covering cuts or open sores on the skin.





More information Washington State Dept. of Health www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/factsheet/hepc.htm



Communicable Disease Epidemiology (206) 418-5500 or toll free 877-539-4344
Infectious Disease and Reproductive Health (360) 236-3440
HIV/AIDS Hotline 800-272-2437
Public Health
Clallam County Health & Human Services
Jefferson County Public Health
Kitsap Public Health District
Gastroenteritis
Bacterial gastroenteritis coming from food or water can have public health consequences.
Think bacterial
Not all gastroenteritis is viral.
Think culture
When appropriate, do enteric cultures.
Key indicators:
Severe symptoms
Blood in stools and diarrhea
Fever and diarrhea persisting beyond 3 days
Exposure to known food borne illness
Check with your lab to find out:
1. Lab capabilities.
2. If you need to make special requests for specific pathogens.
Antibiotics ???
Not all bacterial enteritis needs to be treated with antibiotics.
 Antibiotics can increase the complications with E. coli infection and can
extend the carrier state with salmonella.
 Treatment decisions depend on the severity of the illness and the specific
pathogens.
 Treatment determined by culture results.
HANDWASHING
ASK
Is your
patient a food
worker, health
care worker or
child care
worker?
WWW
Yes
STAY HOME
until symptoms have
resolved.
No
Web links http://www.doh.wa.gov/notify/other/food.htm
Good hand hygiene is
always a good
prescription.
RVSD 5-9-11(5-21-09)
W e b W ise
(go paperless!)
More websites and links are located at the Kitsap Public Health
District website. Go to www.kitsappublichealth.org
Diseases
websites
Disease & Conditions A-Z
www.cdc.gov/DiseasesConditions
Expedited Partner Therapy for
Gonorrhea and/or Chlamydia
www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/std/ept.htm
Infection Control Guidelines
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/guidelines.html
MRSA Pamphlets & Toolkits
MRSA Guidelines December 2007
www.tpchd.org/page.php?id=12
www.metrokc.gov/health/providers/
epidemiology/MRSA-guidelines.pdf
Pandemic Alert & Response—World Health
Organization
www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/
phase/en/index.html
Rabies Exposure: What you need to know
www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/
Tuberculosis—Washington State Program
www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/tb/
Virology—University of Washington Lab
www.depts.washington.edu/rspvirus
West Nile Virus (WNV) for Clinicians
www.doh.wa.gov/Notify/nc/wnv.htm
websites
ACIP Recommendations
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/acip-list.htm
Child Profile
https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/cpir/iweb/
main.jsp or “google” Child Profile
VAERS—Vaccine Advent Event Reporting
System
http://vaers.hhs.gov
Vaccines
Animals
websites
Pets—CDC Healthy Pets Healthy People
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/
Veterinarians—National Association of State
Public Health Veterinarians Documents
www.nasphv.org/
documentsCompendia.html
General Resources
websites
Healthfinder from Health & Human Services
www.healthfinder.gov/
Health Sciences Library—University of WA
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/
Medline Library form National Library of
Medicine & National Institutes of Health
www.medlineplus.gov/
World Health News
http://health.alltop.com/
3-1-2012
Snort. Sniffle. Sneeze. No Antibiotics Please!
Are you aware that colds, flu, and most sore throats and bronchitis are caused by
viruses? Did you know that antibiotics do not help fight viruses? It’s true. Taking
antibiotics when you have a virus may do more harm than good. Taking
antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection
later that resists antibiotic treatment.
If you have a cold or flu, antibiotics won’t work for you
Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses such as:
Colds or flu;
Most coughs and bronchitis
Sore throats not caused by strep; or
Runny noses.
Taking antibiotics for viral infections, such as a cold, cough, the flu, or
most bronchitis, will not:
Cure the infections;
Keep other individuals from catching the illness; or
Help you feel better.
What Can I do to protect myself or my child?
What to do
What not to do
Talk with your healthcare provider about
antibiotic resistance.
Do not take an antibiotic for a viral infection
like a cold, a cough, or the flu.
When you are prescribed an antibiotic,
Do not demand antibiotics when a doctor says
1.
Take it exactly as the doctor tells you.
Complete the prescribed course even if
you are feeling better. If treatment stops
too soon, some bacteria may survive
and re-infect you.
This goes for children, too. Make sure
children take all medication as
prescribed, even if they feel better.
Throw away any leftover medication
once you have completed your
prescription.
they are not needed. They will not help treat your
infections.
When you are prescribed an antibiotic,
1.
2.
Do not skip doses.
Do not save any antibiotics for the next
time you get sick.
Do not take antibiotics prescribed for
someone else. The antibiotic may not be
appropriate for your illness. Taking the
wrong medicine may delay correct
treatment and allow bacteria to multiply.
Dangers of
Antibiotic
Resistance
Antibiotic resistance has
been called one of the
world’s most pressing
public health problems.
It can cause significant
danger and suffering for
people who have
common infections that
once were easily
treatable with
antibiotics. When
antibiotics fail to work,
the consequences are
longer-lasting illnesses;
more doctor visits or
extended hospital stays;
and the need for more
expensive and toxic
medications. Some
resistant infections can
cause death.
Sick individuals aren’t
the only people who can
suffer the consequences.
3.
Families and entire
3.
communities feel the
impact when diseasecausing germs become
resistant to antibiotics.
These antibioticresistant bacteria can
More important information
quickly spread to family
Taking antibiotics for viral infections will increase the risk of antibiotic
members, school mates
resistance.
and co-workers—
Tens of millions of antibiotics prescribed in doctors’ offices each year are for
threatening the
viral infections, which cannot effectively be treated with antibiotics. Doctors
cite diagnostic uncertainty, time pressure on physicians, and patient demand community with a new
strain of infectious
as the primary reasons why antibiotics are over-prescribed.
The spread of viral infections can be reduced through frequent hand washing disease that is more
difficult to cure and
and by avoiding close contact with others.
more expensive to treat.
2.
Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/
snort, sniffle, sneeze.pub/rw/10-18-07
I M P O R TA N T
MRSA is a serious infection that can become
life-threatening if left untreated. If you or
someone in your family has been diagnosed
with MRSA, there are steps you need to take
now to avoid spreading it to your family and
friends.
This booklet was developed with help from
people who are living with MRSA. Follow the
recommendations and practice good hygiene
to take care of yourself. MRSA may cause
physical pain and emotional stress, but keep
in mind that it can be managed. This booklet
tells you how you can live with MRSA.
Ac knowled g ements
Focus group participants
Franciscan Health System
Group Health Cooperative
MultiCare Health System
Pierce County Antimicrobial Resistance Task Force
Spokane County Health Department
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Washington State Department of Health,
Office of Health Promotion
www.kitsappublichealth.org
L earnin g Ab out MRSA
What is MRSA and why is it so serious?
Some germs that commonly live on the skin and in the nose are called
staphylococcus or “staph” bacteria. Usually, staph bacteria don’t cause any harm.
However, sometimes they get inside the body through a break in the skin and cause
an infection. These infections are usually treated with antibiotics. When common
antibiotics don’t kill the staph bacteria, it means the bacteria have become resistant
to those antibiotics. This type of staph is called MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus Aureus).
Anyone can get MRSA. Infections range from mild to very serious, even lifethreatening. MRSA is contagious and can be spread to other people through skin-toskin contact. If one person in a family is infected with MRSA, the rest of the family
may get it.
MRSA was first identified in the 1960’s and was mainly found in hospitals and
nursing homes. This occurred because antibiotics were being given to people when
they weren’t needed, and patients were not taking antibiotics as directed. In the late
1990’s, a new type of MRSA was identified. This type of MRSA is becoming more
common among children and adults who do not have medical problems.
What does MRSA look like?
Most often, MRSA causes infections on the skin. These infections may look like any
one of the following:
• Sores that look and feel like spider bites
(However, MRSA is not caused by a spider bite.)
• Large, red, painful bumps under the skin (called boils)
• A cut that is swollen, hot and filled with pus
• Blisters filled with fluid (called impetigo)
It is also possible to have MRSA in other areas of the body, such as blood, lungs, eyes,
and urine. These types of infections are less common, although often more serious.
Because skin infections are more common, this booklet will focus on them.
c ontrolling M R SA
How do I stop MRSA from spreading
when I’m a carrier?
• Follow the “Personal Care Guidelines” on page 13.
• If you go to a gym, disinfect all equipment after using it. This is standard policy
for gyms, and the gym should supply disinfectant.
• Shower well with soap before and after using a public sauna, hot tub or pool.
• Shower immediately after participating in sports or working out at the gym.
• Shower before any intimate skin-to-skin contact with another person. Showering
will reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin and reduce the risk of spreading
bacteria to the other person.
Children and MRSA
If you have MRSA and there are children in your life, you can still interact with them.
Washing your hands and preventing children from coming in contact with your
infections are the best ways to avoid spreading MRSA. Closely follow the “Personal
Care Guidelines,” especially when children are present. Make sure children wash
their hands, too.
If a child in your family has MRSA, teach the child what it means to have a contagious
infection. Your child is likely to be in contact with other children. If your child is in
daycare, make a plan with the daycare provider to reduce the risk of spreading MRSA
to other children. If your child is in school, make a plan with the school nurse.
Pets and MRSA
Pets, such as dogs and cats, can also get MRSA. Pets can have active infections or they
can be carriers. If you keep getting MRSA infections, or if you see any signs of a skin
infection on your pet, talk with your vet about testing your pet. Pets with MRSA can be
treated. You do not need to get rid of your pet.
If your pet is diagnosed with MRSA, then the “Personal Care Guidelines” on page 13
apply to your pet as well. Do not touch your pet’s infections and make sure to wear
gloves when changing bandages. Consider keeping children separated from the pet
until its sores have healed.
15
c ontrollin g MRSA
How do I stop MRSA from spreading
when I have an active infection?
• Follow the “Personal Care Guidelines” on page 13.
• Do not poke or squeeze the sores.
• Do not touch sores, especially ones that cannot be covered with a bandage or
clothing, such as sores on your face. If you do touch a sore, wash your hands
immediately.
• Cover any infected sores with a bandage. Follow the steps under “How Do I
Change My Bandages?” on page 11. Wash your hands immediately after putting
on the bandage.
• If you have a leaking sore, put extra dressings over it to keep the drainage from
leaking through. Be careful not to get any pus or body fluids on surfaces or
other people.
• Wear clothes that cover your bandages and sores, if possible.
• Be especially careful if you are around people who have weak immune systems,
such as newborn babies, the elderly, or anyone with a chronic disease. If they get
MRSA, it can make them very ill.
• Be careful if you are around someone who has a skin condition, such as eczema,
or someone who just had surgery. They may be more likely to get an infection.
• If MRSA is in your urine or feces, clean your bathroom well. If other people
handle your urine or feces, they should wear gloves and wash their hands well
afterwards.
• Do not participate in contact sports
until your sores have healed (sweating
can cause a bandage to loosen and
lead to contact with equipment and
other people).
• Do not go to a public gym, sauna, hot
tub or pool until sores have healed.
• Do not get manicures, massages or
hair cuts until sores have healed.
14
L earning A b o ut M R SA
How did I get MRSA?
Anyone can get MRSA. You can get MRSA the same way you can get a cold, such as by
touching someone or something that has the bacteria on it and then touching your
eyes or your nose. Washing your hands often reduces your chances of getting MRSA.
MRSA can live on surfaces and objects for months. However, it can be killed though
proper cleaning methods. (Go to the section on “Caring for Yourself” on page 10 to
learn more about cleaning.)
Some ways that you could get MRSA:
• Touching the infected skin of someone
who has MRSA
• Using personal items of someone who
has MRSA, such as towels, wash cloths,
clothes or athletic equipment
• Touching objects, such as public
phones or doorknobs, that have MRSA
bacteria on the surface
• Being in crowded places where germs
are easily spread, such as hospitals,
nursing homes, daycares or college
dorms
You may increase your chances of getting
MRSA if:
• You take antibiotics a lot
• You take antibiotics without a
prescription
• You don’t follow directions when taking
antibiotics, such as stopping early or
missing doses
You are at greater risk of getting MRSA if you
are recovering from surgery or burns, have
tubes in your body for medical treatment, or
if you share needles.
There are two ways
you can have MRSA.
1.You
can have an
active infection.
An active infection means
you have symptoms. The
types of symptoms depend
on where the bacteria
are located. Usually an
active infection is a skin
infection, such as a boil, a
sore, or an infected cut.
2.You can be a carrier.
If you are a carrier you do
not have symptoms that
you can see, but you still
have MRSA bacteria living
on your skin and in your
nose. If you are a carrier,
your provider may say that
you are colonized. These
words — “carrier” and
“colonized” — mean the
same thing.
L earnin g Ab out MRSA
Will I always have MRSA?
Maybe. Many people who have active infections are treated and no longer have
MRSA. However, sometimes MRSA goes away after treatment and comes back several
times. If MRSA infections keep coming back again and again, your health care
provider can help you sort out the reasons you keep getting them.
Even if active infections go away, you can still have MRSA bacteria on your skin and
in your nose. This means you are now a carrier of MRSA. You may not get sick or
have any more skin infections, but you can spread MRSA to others. It is not fully
understood why some people are carriers of MRSA, yet don’t get infections.
How contagious am I?
If you have an active MRSA infection on your skin, it is contagious. If
someone touches your infections, or touches something that came in contact with
your infections (like a towel), that person could get MRSA.
If you are a MRSA carrier, you still have the bacteria on your skin and in your nose. If
you don’t wash your hands properly, things that you use or touch with your hands can
give the bacteria to other people. MRSA can also be found in the liquid that comes
out of your nose or mouth when you cough or sneeze.
Remember, if you have MRSA it is possible to spread it to family, friends, other people
close to you, and even to pets. Washing your hands and preventing others from
coming in contact with your infections are the best ways to avoid spreading MRSA.
Is there a test for MRSA?
You would not usually be tested for MRSA unless you have an active infection. If you
have a skin infection, your health care provider may take a sample of the fluid. This is
called taking a culture. The lab will then test the bacteria to find out which antibiotic
is best for you.
If your MRSA infections keep coming back again and again, your health care provider
may test you or your family members to see if you are carriers. In this case, the
provider would take a culture sample from the nose, where MRSA is often found.
c aring for you rself
Personal Care Guidelines
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Carry alcohol-based hand gel with you so you can sanitize your hands
if soap and water are not available.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Throw the tissue in a wastebasket and wash your hands.
• Take a bath or shower every day. This will help reduce the amount of
bacteria on your skin.
• Keep your fingernails short to keep the bacteria from growing under
and on your nails.
• Change your sheets and towels
regularly.
• Change your clothes daily and wash
them before wearing again.
• Do not share towels, razors,
toothbrushes, or other personal
items.
• Take good care of your skin.
Don’t share any
Remember, MRSA lives on your
towels.
skin. Any break or crack in your
Use a special hand towel.
skin can allow it to enter and
Mark it, or keep it in a
cause an infection. If you get a
separate place, so others
cut or scrape, clean it with soap
won’t use it.
and water and then cover it with a
bandage.
• Take care of yourself: eat right, exercise, quit smoking, and avoid
stress.
• Get medical care at the first sign of infection in a cut, such as redness,
swelling, pain, or pus.
• Tell your health care providers that you have had MRSA in the past.
• If you work in a health care setting, you may need to take special
precautions. Consult with your employer.
13
in a bag. Seal or tie up the
bag and throw it away in
your regular trash.
a bag. Take off the gloves
and put them in the bag,
too.
any soap
c aring for yourself
c aring for you rself
Practice good hygiene to reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin.
Wash your hands often and shower daily. Washing your hands is the number one way
to stop the spread of MRSA bacteria.
Does it matter how I
wash my hands?
Yes. You have to wash carefully to get rid
of the bacteria. Also, you can spread MRSA
to people you live with if you share towels.
Make sure you have your own hand towel to
dry your hands on.
This is the hand washing method
recommended by health care providers:
• Wet your hands first under warm
running water.
• Apply soap and rub together for at least
15 seconds, getting between the fingers
and around nails.
• Rinse with warm running water.
• Dry with a paper towel or hand towel.
• Turn the faucet off using a paper towel
or hand towel (remember, your hands
were dirty when you turned the
faucet on).
• Throw the paper towel in the trash.
If you are using a hand towel, do not
share it with other people and wash it
often.
Always wash your
hands thoroughly:
•Before preparing food,
eating, or drinking
•Before and after touching
your eyes, nose, mouth,
genitals, sores, acne,
boils, or rashes
•Before and after changing
bandages
•Before and after smoking
•Before and after blowing
your nose
• After touching urine,
feces, and body fluids—
this includes items soiled
with body fluids, such as
bedding
• After cleaning the
bathroom, changing
your bedding, and doing
laundry
• After going to the
bathroom
• After coughing or
sneezing
• After touching things
other people touch, such
as phones, door knobs, or
shopping carts
Ask your health care provider about the best kind of soap to use. If soap and water
are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that you can buy in any drug
store. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers will kill the bacteria within 15 seconds after you
rub it on your hands. Your hands must be fairly clean for the sanitizer to work. Don’t
use the hand sanitizers to clean surfaces or objects. Look for a sanitizer with at least
60% alcohol in it.
Do I need to be careful when I do laundry?
Yes. Dirty clothes and bedding can spread
MRSA bacteria.
• When collecting your laundry or
changing your sheets, hold the dirty
laundry away from your body and
clothes. This will prevent getting any
bacteria on your clothes.
• Wear disposable gloves to handle
laundry that is soiled with body fluids,
like drainage from a sore, urine or
feces. Immediately put the laundry into
the washer or into a plastic bag until it
can be washed.
• Wash your laundry with warm or hot
water. Use bleach if possible.
• Dry in a warm or hot dryer and make
sure the clothes are completely dry.
• Wash your hands after handling dirty
sheets or clothing and before handling
clean laundry, even if you have been
wearing gloves.
• Throw gloves away after taking them off.
Do not reuse them.
How often should I
change clothes and
bedding?
•Change your sheets and
towels regularly
•Change your clothes
daily
•Do not put dirty clothes
or clothes you have just
worn back in your closet
or drawers until they
have been washed
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