By Caroline Fry
Staff Writer

A bacterial infection resistant to antibiotics has made its way to Western North Carolina, according to the Buncombe County Health Center.

“MRSA usually infects people who are in hospitals or long-term care settings, but over the past 10 years it has become more of a problem outside of health care settings,” said Dr. Steve Swearingen, medical director at Buncombe County Health Center. “This type of MRSA is becoming more widespread throughout the nation, and is a real issue affecting communities everywhere.”

MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Swearingen said a MRSA infection is dangerous because it is resistant to certain antibiotics.

“Staphylococcus aureus, or staph, is a common bacteria; so common that 25 to 30 percent of us have it living on our skin at any one time,” Swearingen said. “MRSA is a less-common variety of staph that isn’t affected by common antibiotics, such as penicillin.”

According to Swearingen, the CDC does not require MRSA cases to be reported by physicians to local health departments, so no data has been collected about this infection.

However, three cases were recently reported in Buncombe County schools, and the Buncombe County Health Department sent out letters containing information about MRSA to parents of school children, according to Deborah Gentry of the Buncombe County Health Department.

Students are at a higher risk for contracting MRSA, according to Linda Pyeritz, a specialist in college health nursing at UNC Asheville’s Student Health Services.

“MRSA infections are becoming more common in community settings, including schools,” Pyeritz said. “Staph and MRSA infections are spread by direct contact, as seen in athletic teams and residential facilities.”

The most common symptom of MRSA is a small red bump that looks like a pimple or spider bite, but is red, swollen and painful to the touch, according to Swearingen. He said MRSA may be hard to recognize because it can appear like a normal skin infection, but it can be dangerous if gone undiagnosed.

“Some infections can become more serious and cause pneumonia, or other hard to treat infections,” Swearingen said. “Anyone with those symptoms should see a health care provider immediately.”

MRSA is spread by direct physical contact with the bacteria, or through contaminated items such as shared towels, razors or gym equipment. Infections occur only when the bacteria gets into a break in the skin, and cannot be spread through the air. Students who live in college dormitories are at a higher risk for getting MRSA because it is easily spread in places where people have close contact to each other, according to Pyeritz.

“Factors associated with the spread of MRSA include close skin-to-skin contact, open cuts or abrasions on the skin, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions and poor hygiene,” Pyeritz said.

Athletes are especially at risk for contracting MRSA and therefore should be especially on the lookout for symptoms of the infection, according to Swearingen.

“In Buncombe County and throughout the country, most outbreaks of MRSA in schools have involved athletes,” Swearingen said. “Athletes are more likely to have broken skin, which gives the bacteria an easy way into the body. They are also likely to share personal items like towels in locker room situations or come in direct contact with other athletes who may have open or draining wounds on the playing field.”

Aarika Converse, a senior literature student, was diagnosed with MRSA during the past summer.

“I was diagnosed in June and had not successfully gotten rid of the MRSA or the symptoms until August or September,” Converse said. “I was on multiple oral antibiotics for weeks at a time. According to the health clinic, I had probably been suffering from MRSA for about a month, the symptoms escalating over that time period.”

Converse believed she got the bacteria while spending a semester in Hawaii, after getting her ear pierced and spending time in a village contaminated with polluted water. She had never heard of MRSA until she was diagnosed.

“MRSA is deadly and easily contracted,” Converse said. “It is also expensive to treat and has the potential to kill. Individuals on campus and in the community at large should watch open cuts and sores for any development of infection and keep their bodies clean.”

Practicing good hygiene is a vital way to stop the spread of MRSA, according to Swearingen. He recommended not sharing items such as towels, sheets and clothing that might be contaminated with the bacteria. He also recommended covering up any open wounds with a clean and sterile bandage.

“The most important thing you can do to reduce the spread of MRSA and a lot of other infections like the flu and the common cold is to wash your hands thoroughly and often,” Swearingen said.

If you have questions or concerns about MRSA and its symptoms, contact Student Health Services at 251-6520.