Mercer Infection

Mercer infection is a serious bacterial infection, that affects most people all across the world. Although it is commonly referred to as 'mercer' infection or staph infection, it is known as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infection, in medical terms.

Mercer Staph Infection
Mercer staph infection is a serious bacterial infection, which can be fatal, if not treated immediately. It is caused by MRSA bacteria, which is a strain of Staphylococcus aureus. It generally affects the skin and gives rise to skin infection symptoms similar to those of other staph infections. However, it can also affect other parts of the body. There are two types of infections, hospital associated MRSA, which generally occurs during a stay in clinics or hospitals, and community associated MRSA, that occurs in public places through close contact with the affected person.

A number of bacteria are normally present on our body. However, not all of them are harmful! One such type of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, is commonly present on the skin and in the nose of many healthy people. There are over 30 strains of staphylococcus and it does not pose a threat to us, as long as it stays on the skin and does not enter our body. However, when it finds entry to our body, it can be of serious concern as it can harm the internal body parts. It is very difficult to treat these infections as the type of staph bacteria, that causes this infection, is immune to most of the common antibiotics, including penicillin, methicillin, amoxicillin and cephalosporins. This immunity or antibiotic resistance acquired by the bacteria, is a result of overuse or misuse of antibiotics.

Symptoms
The symptoms associated with MRSA infection are very similar to any other staphylococcus infections. The symptoms are normal and do not cause serious problems, unless, one has broken skin, cuts or wounds, that facilitate the entry of the bacteria inside the body. Small, reddish lumps, that resemble spider bites or pimples are the first signs of this infection. These pimple like lesions on the skin can develop into ulcers. Other symptoms of MRSA include rash all over the body, headache, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pains, chills and shortness of breath. On rare occasions, community associated MRSA may cause more serious infections such as pneumonia and bloodstream infections. It becomes very important to pay attention to skin related problems, as those are the first signs of this infection. Children, elderly people and those who have a weak immune system are prone to mercer.

Treatment
Mercer infection treatment depends on a lot of factors such as severity of the infection, age of the affected person and the existing medical conditions. Although the MRSA bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics, there are still some antibiotic options available, that can be effective against the bacteria. Various tests are taken to check the body's response to different antibiotics to choose the one that seems to be working. In case the MRSA bacteria has developed resistance to the prescribed antibiotic, a new antibiotic may be recommended. Some of the antibiotics recommended to treat this infection are as follows:

• Clindamycin
• Tetracycline
• Minocycline
• Doxycycline
• Sulfamethoxazole

Another option to treat staph infection that may be recommended by your health care provider may be incision of the abscess or boil, to remove as much as infected fluid from the body as possible. However, this method does not guarantee complete cure as MRSA bacteria spread in all parts of the body and grow rapidly and it can be difficult to remove them entirely from the body.

This was all about mercer infection. One must take proper precautions to prevent the growth and spread of staphylococcus.