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Understanding MRSA Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of MRSA?

The symptoms of MRSA infection depend on where you've been infected.

MRSA most often appears as a skin infection, like a boil or abscess. It also might infect a surgical wound. In either case, the area would look:

Understanding MRSA

MRSA is called a "super bug" because infections are resistant to many common antibiotics. Here's what you need to know about drug-resistant staph:

Swollen
Red
Painful
Pus filled

Many people who actually have staph skin infections often mistake it for a spider bite.

If staph infects the lungs and causes pneumonia, you might have:

Shortness of breath
Fever
Cough
Chills

MRSA can cause many other symptoms since it can infect the urinary tract or the bloodstream.

Very rarely, staph can result in necrotizing fasciitis, or "flesh-eating" bacterial infections. These are serious skin infections that spread very quickly. While frightening, necrotizing fasciitis caused by staph is rare. There have only been a handful of reported cases.

Call Your Doctor About MRSA If:

See your health care provider if you have signs of active infection. In most cases, MRSA is easily treated. But since MRSA infection can be serious or -- rarely -- fatal.

If you are already being treated for an infection, watch for signs that your medicine isn't working. If you are taking an antibiotic, call your doctor if

The infection is no better after three or four days
The infection keeps getting worse
You develop a fever, or your fever gets worse

People who are ill or have a compromised immune system have a higher risk of getting serious MRSA infections. If you have a condition that lowers your immunity, call your doctor right away if you think that you might have an infection.

WebMD Medical Reference

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