The human body is home to trillions of microscopic bacteria. Many are symbiotes which moisturize our skin, digest our food, and maintain our immune systems. Other organisms, called pathobionts, are freeloaders — doing little to help but rarely causing harm…
…unless, that is, they wander where they oughtn’t. Then, these microbes rage out of control, transforming into deadly infections that devastate the vulnerable, especially in public spaces.
One of the most troublesome pathobionts is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) — infamous as the bane of infection prevention experts. But there’s more to MRSA (and MRSA prevention) than meets the eye.
MRSA: A Brief History
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria typically reside on our skin and inside our noses. While the species might provide some limited health benefits, it’s mostly an annoyance.
With the introduction of antibiotics, S. aureus began to evolve. First, it evolved to produce penicillinase — an enzyme that neutralizes penicillin. Next, it learned to resist the penicillin’s daughter methicillin, possibly by borrowing a gene from the related Staphylococcus sciuri; this gene (mecA) allows it to maintain cell wall biosynthesis (i.e., it can keep growing and repairing its cell walls even when being attacked by antibiotics). Dr. Franklin D. Lowy of Columbia University explains, “The therapeutic outcome of infections that result from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is worse than the outcome of those that result from methicillin-sensitive strains[…]First reported in a British hospital [in 1960], MRSA clones rapidly spread across international borders”
MRSA’s Menace
Before COVID-19, MRSA was one of the leading causes of death resulting from infection in the United States. Per the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, MRSA is also one of the deadliest drug-resistant pathogens globally, accounting for 121,000 deaths in 2019.
But what does a MRSA infection actually do? The most common symptom of MRSA (outside of a healthcare setting) is a lesion or sore that continues to get worse. Sometimes red streaks will branch out from the pus-filled boil, releasing toxins into your blood, leading to septicemia. As if this wasn’t bad enough, MRSA may also infect your bones, heart, lungs, and digestive tract.
MRSA: Who Is at Risk?
There are 2 main types of MRSA — Healthcare-Associated (HA-MRSA) and Community-Associated (CA-MRSA). According to the Mayo Clinic, risk factors for CA-MRSA include:
- “Participating in contact sports. MRSA can spread easily through cuts and scrapes and skin-to-skin contact.”
- “Living in crowded or unsanitary conditions. MRSA outbreaks have occurred in military training camps, child care centers[,] and jails.”
- “Men having sex with men. Men who have sex with men have a higher risk of developing MRSA infections.”
- “Having HIV infection. People with HIV have a higher risk of developing MRSA infections.”
- “Using illicit injected drugs. People who use illicit injected drugs have a higher risk of MRSA infections.”
Risk factors for HA-MRSA are more straightforward, if not less troubling. They include:
- “Being hospitalized. MRSA remains a concern in hospitals, where it can attack those most vulnerable — older adults and people with weakened immune systems.”
- “Having an invasive medical device. Medical tubing — such as intravenous lines or urinary catheters — can provide a pathway for MRSA to travel into your body.”
- “Residing in a long-term care facility. MRSA is prevalent in nursing homes. Carriers of MRSA have the ability to spread it, even if they’re not sick themselves.”
Taking MRSA Prevention to the Next Level
You may notice the above risk factors account for many different types of facilities, from hospitals to schools, prisons to military camps. While there are many common-sense precautions you can take to reduce your individual risk of MRSA (e.g. washing your hands, keeping wounds clean and dressed, and not sharing bedding/towels), wouldn’t it be nice if we could add an extra layer of protection to the facility itself?
That’s where ActivePure comes in. Our devices proactively neutralize bacteria, viruses, and mold both in the air and on surfaces. We have been tested against MRSA in active healthcare settings, with astounding results: a 99% reduction in average MRSA colony forming units (CFUs) on surfaces and a 70% reduction in healthcare-acquired infections! Of course, these are only our results in a hospital ICU. ActivePure protects schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, and homes across the world. And we can protect your building, too.
Contact us today to add an extra layer of protection against MRSA and other pathogens to your facility today.
