antibiotic resistance A form of gram-positive bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) frequently causes skin infections and is resistant to several standard antibiotics (CDC, 2016). Based on where the bacterial infection occurs, it is divided into two groups. While community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) refers to the infection that is acquired outside of any type of healthcare setting and typically manifests itself as a skin infection, hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) is acquired within a healthcare setting where it causes post-operative wounds or infections as a result of implanted medical devices like the catheters. This type of infection is relevant in this case because, MRSA infections are commonly acquired by sports participants as a result of skin-to-skin contact.
MRSA is different from other forms staphylococci in the sense that it has become resistant to several antibiotics, making it more difficult to treat.
MRSA spreads mainly through contact with an infected wound, sharing of personal items such as combs, towels, razors and others that have come into contact with the skin of an infected individual. Though not life threatening in most cases, MRSA infections cause serious symptoms such as swelling of the affected area, reddening, pain, full of pus or can be accompanied by fever in severe cases.
According to the CDC, (2016) report, more than 90,000 people are infected with MRSA in America each year. About 20,000 of the infected people die from invasive MRSA infection. Many cases of death are recorded among the children due to their under-developed immune system. However, another study conducted by the CDC indicated that the life threatening MRSA infections declined between 2007 and 2016 by 54% with 30,800 fewer cases of the severe infection recorded as well as 9000 fewer deaths were recorded in the same period.
Students playing contact sports are more susceptible to MRSA infection because of high skin-to-skin contact during sports. Similarly, there are more chances of getting injuries hence increased chances of infection.
Yes. Promoting the use of soap dispensers, disinfecting wipes and the practice of disinfecting the student rooms and lockers help a lot in reducing surface contamination hence reducing MRSA infection significantly (CDC, 2016).
After infection the students need to get urgent treatment by cleaning the area infected with an antiseptic solution, cover it well with a clean dressing and can then be permitted in school.
Skin infection with MRSA occurs when there is an injury to the skin such as a cut or bruise which allows the bacteria to penetrate the skin and cause an infection.
Nelson’s Isolate is closely related to the CA-MRSA because it showed antibiotic sensitivity to sulfa drugs, tetracycline and vancomycin just like the sample DNA fingerprint in Lane 3-5 for CA-MRSA.
When a solution of DNA molecules is placed in a gel and the gel electrophoresis machine is switched on, the DNA molecules being negatively charged will be pulled through the gel by electric field towards the positive electrode. Small DNA molecules moves through the pores of the gel faster than the bigger molecules and are deposited close to the positive electrode as the bigger DNA molecules remain near the wells.
It is important to verify the presence of glp housekeeping gene which is present in all strains of Staphylococcus aureus
Yes. Nelson is suffering from Community Acquired-Methicillin-Resistance Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA).
CA-MRSA bacteria acquires pvl gene from a prophage that infects MRSA with the toxic pvl gene.
Daliana has no grounds to sue the hospital since from the DNA analysis it is evident that Nelson suffered from the CA-MRSA which he may have contracted from a bacteria he picked before going to the hospital.
Hospital Acquired-MRSA shows the presence of one virulence gene mecA, which is part of the methicillin-resistance cassette while CA-MRSA shows both mecA and pvl gene that is acquired from the prophage.
CA-MRSA was resistant to the antibiotics he was taking hence could not protect him. Though, there are options he can use such as sulfa drugs, tetracycline and vancomycin which are all sensitive to CA-MRSA as shown in the PFGE fingerprinting analysis.
Yes. Cosmetic surgeries expose patients to various bacterial infections.
Nelson’s suffered from a CA-MRSA infection which he acquired after successful surgery.
References
Melani, P. (2014). National Burden of Invasive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection. JAMA Network.
CDC, (2016) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) https://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/community/index.html
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