Today news articles continue to regularly appear across the country and particularly each fall as students head back to school. MRSA remains a topic that we all need to be more aware of as it relates not only to others but to our own personal well-being.
MRSA was once considered only a concern for those working in healthcare as most infections were initially spread in the hospital environment. Now MRSA is a community concern for all of us as incidents in schools, prisons, homeless shelters and sporting venues have been on the rise. Over the past couple of years healthcare facilities have done much to reduce the number of cases resulting from hospital stays, and yet the community associated cases of MRSA continue to increase. This is occurring throughout the United States and the world.
What is MRSA?
Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a bacterium that is commonly carried on the skin and/or in the nasal passages of healthy people. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aereus is a strain of the staph bacteria which is resistant to antibiotics, making infections more difficult to treat. Most cases may be limited to mild skin infections, but if it is not recognized early, infections from these bacteria can become deadly.
Findings from the CDC
In the report released by the CDC in October 2007, it is calculated that MRSA is now responsible for approximately 94,360 serious infections and 18,650 deaths each year. In fact, based on these calculations, annual deaths from MRSA infections exceed AIDS related deaths.
Overall, the incidence of the infections and the concern are growing. We need to take precautions to help prevent MRSA from becoming an even bigger public health concern.
How is MRSA Spread?
MRSA is spread through skin-to-skin contact or when skin comes in contact with other contaminated surfaces such as towels, razors, locker room benches, sports equipment and even counters. It becomes a concern when the skin is broken or scratched and the bacteria can then enter the system to cause infection.
Prevent the spread of MRSA in your facility with this three-step United Laboratories' MRSA Mitigation Program:
1. Disinfect All Common Areas.
Can YOU get to the places MRSA can?
Bacteria live and grow in all kinds of areas including bathrooms, shower and locker rooms, barracks, gyms, classrooms, hospital rooms, cafeterias, kitchens and offices.
Make sure to get at ALL the areas where MRSA might exist through daily fogging. Fogging with United 64 BACFIGHTER and the A128 FOGMASTER Jr. makes disinfecting large areas a snap.
› United 64 BACFIGHTER is a quaternary disinfectant, sanitizer, fungicide and
virucide. It is effective against many bacteria and virus strains including
MRSA.
Fogging with United 151 PHENOFOG offers an easy-to-use, total release aerosol solution for this type of
application.
› United 151 PHENOFOG Surface Disinfectant Room Deodorizer disinfects and
sanitizes, all while providing two-way odor control. It is effective against
MRSA, the Adeno virus, Avian influenza and much more.
2. Practice and Promote Good Hand Hygiene.
One of the more common ways MRSA is spread is via skin-to-skin contact, in particular hand-to-hand contact. Practicing good hygiene through regular hand washing and sanitization is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of MRSA. United offers several great options to prevent the spread of MRSA on hands:
United 264 CONTACT Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer
United 364 CONTACT PLUS
United 369 HAND-D-WIPES Hand Sanitizer
United 379 MEDI-CRÈME Antimicrobial Hand Cleanser
United 758 MERINGUE Foaming Antibacterial Hand Soap
United 764 MICROMOUSSE Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizing Foam
Not sure which Hand Sanitizing Product is right for you? Click here for a handy reference chart.
3. Routinely Clean and Disinfect Hard Surfaces.
Cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing. Cleaning removes dirt and may remove germs from surfaces—whereas disinfecting actually destroys germs. For the best results in controlling MRSA on hard surfaces, vigilance in cleaning and disinfecting is a must. United offers several great alternatives for cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces:
United 64 BACFIGHTER
United 136 Lemon Disinfectant Deodorant
United 255 DISINFECT PLUS One-Step Disinfectant, Germicidal Detergent and Deodorant
United 262 HEPACIDE Broad Spectrum Disinfectant
United 282 Ready-To-Use Disinfectant Spray, Cleaner, Deodorizer
United 351 Disinfectant Spray
United 368 HARD-D-WIPES Hard Surface Disinfectant Wipes
United 488 SANI-STRIKE Disinfectant Bowl and Bathroom Cleaner
To protect staff, patients, inmates, soldiers, students and yourself from MRSA and to learn more about United Laboratories’ Three-Step MRSA Mitigation Program click here for our brochure.
For more information on United's MRSA Program for schools, you can check out the following documents:
Introduction to United Laboratories' MRSA School Presentation
School Health Team: Infection Control Policies & Procedures Checklist
School Athletic Program: Infection Control Policies & Procedures Checklist
DuPage County Health Department Letter Concerning MRSA (in English and Spanish)
You may also speak with your United Sales/Service Representative for more information. Don't have a United Representative? Give the home office a call at 1-800-323-2594 and we can assign one to you.
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