Understanding MRSA Prevention

How can I prevent MRSA?

Staph is spread by contact. You can get MRSA if you touch a person who carries the bacteria -- or if you touch something that an infected person touched.

The CDC says that the following things have been associated with the spread of MRSA.

• Close skin-to-skin contact
• Openings in the skin, like cuts or abrasions
• Contaminated items and surfaces
• Crowded living conditions, like in hospitals or prisons
• Poor hygiene

In health care centers, people who carry MRSA are sometimes isolated from other patients to prevent the bacteria from spreading.

According to the CDC, here are some of the best ways to prevent MRSA.

• Wash your hands. Use soap and water or an alcohol-base hand sanitizer. Also, wash thoroughly. Experts suggest that you wash your hands for as long as it takes you to recite the alphabet.
• Cover cuts and scrapes with a clean bandage. This will help the wound heal. It will also prevent you from spreading bacteria to other people.
• Do not touch other people's wounds or bandages.

Do not share personal items like towels or razors. If you use any shared gym equipment, wipe it down before and after you use it. Drying clothes, sheets, and towels in a dryer -- rather than letting them air dry -- helps kill bacteria.

Related Links

MRSA: Experts Answer Your Questions

More U.S. Deaths From MRSA Than AIDS

Video: Preventing Staph Infections