Anyone had much experience with MRSA??? If so, do you think that I'm overreacting??

We've recently hired a new staff member who notified us today that she has it so we need to be careful. I immediately replied to everyone and let HR know that I will be considering handing in my resignation due to the info that I've found on it and the fact that we work in tight quarters.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa/

Sorry, but I'm livid :mad: that they hired somebody with medical problems that I can potentially take home to my family. What do you think??

I don't think you are overreacting! You can never be to careful! I would always put family above all else and If you think you need to resign to protect your family that it is an option. As it would be for me too.

You are not overreacting at all. It is a really bad bacteria and can do damage.

However, the best defense against it is soap and water. The person who has it should be considerate enough to do what they need to to ensure thay do not spread it.

Like the CDC link says.

The 5 C's, are as follows:
Crowding,
frequent skin-to-skin Contact,
Compromised skin (i.e., cuts or abrasions),
Contaminated items and surfaces,
and lack of Cleanliness.

Locations where the 5 C's are common include schools, dormitories, military barracks, households, correctional facilities, and daycare centers.

That Employee should be:

**Cover your wound. Keep areas of the skin affected by MRSA covered. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping the infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.


**Clean your hands. You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound.


**Do not share personal items. Avoid sharing personal items such as uniforms, personal protective equipment, clothing, towels, washcloths or razors that may have had contact with the infected wound or bandage.

What would have been worse is if that the co-worker had not told anyone.

I second what James and Eric said...I don't think you are overreacting at all!!

I'll have to disagree. You probably have many co-workers with communicable issues you don't even know about. I work for a large company, and employee's with AIDS as well as other issues is commonplace. Avoid any harassment and let your employer address the issue. As others have mentioned, wash your hands. At my workplace some people go so far as to open and close bathroom doors with paper towels in their hand.

Thats that thing the Rams had floating around the team locker room. I think Braylon Edwards had a bad case of it too.

A couple of co-workers went thru this a couple years ago. Ironically, it was later learned that they were more than just co-workers. LOL! Anyway, my point is... avoid direct contact and wash often. The chances of you getting the infection will be greatly reduced.
I'm Interested in knowing what this person is doing to avoid spreading it. Hopefully she is taking every precaution to keep it covered at all times. Personally, I feel that she did the right thing by letting people know in advance.

MRSA was once an infection that was essentially isolated to hospitals and nursing facilities. The reason it arose was use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and subsequent resistance. However, as most people have heard, it has spread to the community. The good news is that at the moment, community MRSA is a "different strain" from the hospital MRSA. The difference is that hospital MRSA is sensitive only to 2 or 3 antibiotics, whereas community MRSA is sensitive still to some commonly used antibiotics such as clindamycin and Bactrim. As far as contracting it, think of it as a cold sore (which for those of you who don't know, is a herpes virus so most of you have herpes!). As long as you don't come in direct contact with it, your chances of contracting it are slim. However, if you come into direct contact with it (if say your colleague just changed his bandage at work in the bathroom and left some of the bacteria on the faucet handle and you touch it next), you could get it. The best way to avoid it? Like other people say, wash your hands thoroughly. Turn off faucets with a paper towel. But don't freak out about it. Most hospital workers are probably colonized with MRSA but few actually get it, so simple common-sense precautions should keep you safe. The reason the Rams players transmitted it amongst each other was extremely close proximity with sharing of towels and other things (I doubt most of you are running around nude with 30 other sweaty guys with wounds on themselves) However, if you find yourself with a non-healing skin infection, get it checked out.

I agree with what PULMCC stated above as my wife and I both work in healthcare although the "community strain of MRSA" is starting to become more problematic and resistive to common antibiotics as well. No different then the flu as each year the strains adapt and become more viable. Many schools have been struggling with "communinty MRSA" this year causing vast outbreaks of illness and even some hospitalization here in TN. You need to take the same universal precautions that healthcare workers use to protect yourself and avoid contact personal contact with this employee as it can also enter your system by simply rubbing your eyes or nose after touching anything that was contaminated. Wash, wash, wash your hands! Your employer should also be taking preventative measures like automated faucets and papertowel dispensers along with proper janitorial cleaning services. The virus can live for several days just like VRE on another surface.

There's no harrassment going on, I'm too considerate for that.

Here's my concerns:

My Employer has NOT been addressing the issue, so I'm relying on this person's hygiene habits for my family not catching it. Common in the workplace is different than being in shared workspaces. I always wash my hands throughout the day but I also always have scratches and cuts on my hands from replacing computer parts and weekend projects or car wrenching. I know that it's not a big deal for most people but if my Wife catches anything like Back-n-Black recently went through, I seriously doubt that she'll make it through very well.

I know that I feel like I'm overreacting bigtime but in all honesty, I cannot afford for my wife to catch something like that and if I get it, there's no question that it does affect my future employability in my career field.

Thank you everyone for the feedback!!!! I was hoping someone would tell me they disagree because I know that I'm still in an "oh s***" mode and that helps me continue keeping my mouth shut until I figure something out.

Our medical insurance has been sending out info on it. I preach hand washing to the kids all of the time, and sometimes feel like a broken record as much as I tell them. After awhile, it becomes habit.
Maybe it is time to grow a beard?
Think about the person that got it.... And no messing around at work LOL.

From AETNA: MRSA - What is it?
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA or staph) is a skin infection caused by a type of bacteria. MRSAs are resistant to certain antibiotics, making the infection harder to treat.

What can I do to prevent a staph infection?

- Wash your hands often and use an alcohol-based sanitizer
- Keep cuts and scrapes clean and cover them with bandages
- Do not touch other people's cuts or bandages
- Do not share personal items like towels or razors

Pops - Question...from the online info it seems like this is curable (although more resistant). Why did this person just not run the course of anti-biotics and then go to work?

The one thing I'll say is at least they told you. Working in NYC I can only imagine what we have floating around here - and very few people wash their hands after using the bathroom :eek:

That was my question too!!!! She said she's had it for 2-Years and it resides inside our Spinal Column so once you got it, it's very hard to get completely rid of like herpes.

This is after only being employed for only a couple of weeks and she said that Doxycycline is what works best for her. My wife said that Doxycycline is more for a standard skin rash than something like Staph or MRSA and that she should be taking something much, much stronger if she ever plans to be rid of it completely.

Still, anytime I re-read the email, I'm thinking "WTF?!?!" because she contradicts herself in the message but I'm keeping my mouth shut to keep from saying something stupid.

Pops, this can be a nasty infection, a lot of people are considered carriers of the MRSA and don't even know about it, like some of the past post have said there may be people in the workplace that already carrie it and not even know about it. I see it a lot in my practice, and being in the military, it can be wide spread at times. It is highly treatable and more times than not, if caught earlie enough, can be treated with antibiotics within ten days. Hand washing is the key, as well as taking care of cuts right away with a simple band aid or dressing can also help. Here in California, we have MRSA living on a lot of objects, so if you get cut by somthing out here, there is a chance of getting it. The standard of care for MRSA is Septra and Rifampin, not doxy, so it is questionable if she has it or not. Doxy can be used for MRSA but in very rare case's i.e. allergies to other antibiotics and the such. If you really would like more info on it PM me and I would be happy to give you all the info I have on it.

PM sent. Thank you!!!!! :bow:

One right back at ya!!

I would have to say I disagree with you. I am pretty sure the employee wants to treat this as fast as they can and is taking the correct actions to do so. All though easily contracted if you do your part and follow some of the previous suggestions you will be fine. If you are that "afraid" of getting it in your office then you should have the same fear the next time you go into a hospital, because it is everywhere. I work in hospitals/ORs all day and I have seen some pretty severe cases of MRSA and a few where the patient became ceptic.

Funny thing about the hospitals - you go there to get better, but can get worse..
I would be really worried if you have a lowered immunosuppressive system.
Heck, you can get some nasty stuff from eating at the local restaurants.
One thing is for certain, this forum is awesome for the great people and their help!

I disagree/agree with some of the posters. My wife is an infection control nurse so I know some about MSRA, like everyone said wash your hands throughly and often. I bet you are exposed to worse things everyday.

Hey Pops you have every right to be concerned God knows i was, But if it had not been for the support of my wife and just a hand full of friends i dont know how i would have gotten through it. You being one of those.. to be frankly honest It scarred the crap out of me.!!!! But thanks to God and a family doctor I am cured.. I am just saying with the proper precautions you can minimize your chances of getting it, (Saying that ) having to do your job in fear is not worth it. I wouldnt blame you if you chose to resign because there is nothing more valuable life... in my book family is number one!!! because of what happened to me i almost quit my job but instead i just found a safer way to do it..
In the end you have to do what is best for you and your family

jw