MRSA Screening
What is MRSA?
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a common form of bacteria that can live harmlessly on the skin, however if SA bacteria get into the body through a wound/cut in the skin it can cause infection. Up to 30% of the UK population carry SA bacteria, however the bacteria are 'colonised' (not infected) because they are only on the surface of the body, not harming the internal organs/blood.
Over the past 50 years some types of SA have developed into ‘super strains’ or ‘super bugs’ and these strains are resistant to penicillin based antibiotics, such as methicillin, which is why SA has been classed as MRSA.
MRSA occurs most commonly in people who are already in hospital. Staff and patients within hospitals and clinical environments are a potential risk at catching or spreading MRSA infections as it is primarily spread via direct physical contact. MRSA can become a threat towards patients who have been in surgery, are in intensive care, have been exposed to MRSA colonised health workers/patients or have been an in-patient longer than 48 hours.
What are the symptoms?
The majority of SA infections are skin infections as the bacteria live on the skin and symptoms depend on the area of the body that is infected.
Symptoms can include:
· boils
· abcesses
· red, swollen skin
· wounds that are slow to heal or that become septic
· styes
· cellulitis
· impetigo
If left untreated, the bacteria can spread into the blood stream and cause larger health complications, such as septicaemia, pneumonia, meningitis, internal abscesses anywhere inside the body, septic arthritis or osteomyelitis, which is why GLG are working towards helping control the spread of MRSA.
How can it be treated?
Antibiotics can still be used to treat MRSA however; the infection may require a higher dose over a longer period of time, or the use of an antibiotic to which the bacteria is not resistant.
How can it be tested?
Gordon Laboratory Group aims to help reduce the spread of MRSA within hospital and clinical environments and we screen for MRSA using two separate laboratory procedures: PCR and Culture.
PCR is effective if you need rapid turnaround times, but a culture/sensitivity dramatically reduces the false-positive rates compared to other media, minimising confirmatory testing.
PCR
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular based assay cleared by the FDA for direct detection of colonisation by MRSA. This testing procedure is a gold standard Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique (NAAT). PCR has a turnaround of 4 hours, enabling hospitals and clinics to drastically reduce the time required to identify any outbreaks, allowing improved prevention and control. If a positive result occurs, we then re-test the sample on a culture/sensitivity to confirm the result.
Culture
GLG uses the Oxide Brilliance MRSA agar which is specially designed to be chromogenic, allowing MRSA colonies to be seen distinctively. This type of agar plate is one of the most selective plates on the market today and it produces reliable results that GLG can be confident in, even just after 18 hours.
Interested in using GLG for you MRSA Screening?
Gordon Laboratory Group has a number of different clients using its MRSA Screening service such as private hospitals, cosmetic surgeries, fertility clinics and even veterinary practices. MRSA swabs are not necessarily always taken from patients; we also urge clients to frequently screen healthcare workers who regularly come into close contact with MRSA, apparatus and work surfaces.
We offer fantastic screening rates and if you are interested in using our rapid, accurate service then please do not hesitate to contact the laboratory to speak to a member of the GLG team.
