New Convenient MRSA Antiseptic Gel Product

It was brought to my attention recently about a product used to help treat and prevent active MRSA skin infections called StaphASeptic. The product contains two ingredients: benzethonium chloride (kills MRSA) as well as lidocaine (numbs the skin). The lidocaine is helpful in that some MRSA skin infections are quite painful. This product can be found and purchased at Amazon.com in varying quantities from 2 oz tube, 4 oz tube, or packets.

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Rise In MRSA Head & Neck Infections Among American Kids

MRSA infections among American children increased during a five-year-period up to the end of 2006, according to an article published in Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, January 2009 issue.

The article explains that up to 1980, MRSA infections were generally acquired in hospital. But, over the last decade, community-acquired MRSA (ca-MRSA) infections have become significantly more common in nursing homes, prisons, and among chronically ill patients and in individuals considered to be low risk.

In recent years, there have been increasing reports of community-acquired MRSA infections in children involving the head and neck.

Iman Naseri, M.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta looked at data regarding pediatric head and neck infections that took place at over 300 hospitals across the USA during the period 2001 - 2006. Infection sites were divided into oropharyngeal/neck (head and neck), sinonasal (nose and sinuses) and otologic (ear), and demographic and antibiotic resistance patterns were reviewed.

21.6% of the 21,009 S. aureus infections that occurred during this period were MRSA. These rates rose from 11.8% to 28.1% during that five-year period. 34% of MRSA infections were found in the ears, 28.3% sinonasal, and 14.2% head and neck.

Let's hope that this disturbing trend does not continue and it reinforces the need to give antibiotics ONLY if a true bacterial infection exists and not for colds, URIs, laryngitis, etc for which antibiotics are worthless.

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New Webpage on MRSA Infections (Methicillin-Resistant Staph Aureus)

A new webpage has been posted describing MRSA. Strategies of how to handle a family member with MRSA is also described as well as how to prevent spread to uninfected household members. As always, please see your doctor for evaluation and treatment.

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