MRSA Sampling and Testing

Regulations For Clean-Up of Mold Infested Materials

Titanium Laboratories offers surface sampling and analysis for the presence of MRSA for New York and New Jersey clients. Collected samples are submitted to an accredited laboratory to perform the analysis for all of our environmental results. Surfaces that infected persons may have touched or come in contact with should be sampled during a MRSA investigation. For example, door knobs, chairs, tables, light switches, toys, etc. should all be taken into consideration when conducting MRSA sampling. Titanium Laboratories, Inc. offers both cultured and PCR sampling protocols. MRSA bacterium grows quickly; therefore, if you believe that your environment may be contaminated, contact Titanium Laboratories for a MRSA investigation with sampling and analysis.

Areas that are most at risk include:

health clubs
schools
nursing homes
hospitals

MRSA Information

Recently, there has been an increasing amount of publicity surrounding MRSA. Such media hype has managed to conjure up hysteria and fear throughout the United States, including New York and New Jersey. What is MRSA? Where does MRSA come from? How is MRSA spread? How can MRSA be controlled? We at Titanium Laboratories have made it our mission to educate the people of the New York and New Jersey areas about MRSA.

What is MRSA?
What is Staphylococcus aureus?
Who gets “staph” or MRSA infections?
What is HA-MRSA?
What is CA-MRSA?
What are the criteria for distinguishing community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) from healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA)?
What are the clinical features of CA-MRSA?
Are certain people at increased risk for community-associated staph or MRSA infections?
How is MRSA Spread?
How can MRSA be controlled?
How is a MRSA infection diagnosed?
How are CA-MRSA infections treated?
How do CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA strains differ?

What is MRSA?
MRSA, scientifically known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a type of bacteria that is resistant to treatment with antibiotics related to Penicillin. Staphylococcus is a genus of micrococci belonging to the family Micrococcaceae, order Eubacteriales. They are gram positive and on agar produce white, yellow, or orange-colored colonies. Some species are pathogenic, causing suppurative conditions and elaborating endotoxins destructive to tissue cells. Aureus is a strain of Staphylococcus. It is a species commonly present on skin and mucous membranes, especially those of the nose and mouth, characterized by production of a golden-yellow pigment. A cause of suppurative conditions such as boils, carbuncles, and internal abscesses in man. Around one percent of the population is afflicted with MRSA, while about a quarter of the population is infected by staph.

What is Staphylococcus aureus?
Staphylococcus aureus, commonly identified as "staph," is a specific strain of bacteria. Staph bacteria have often been identified as a leading cause of skin infection throughout the U.S. This particular bacterium can usually be found on the skin or in the nasal passages of relatively healthy people. Roughly, a quarter of the population is inhabited with some form of staph bacteria. Occasionally, these microorganisms can cause infection. Yet, the majorities of these skin contaminations are negligible and can be healed without antibiotics. However, in other cases, the staph bacterium has been known to have the ability and severity to cause grave and serious infections, which can be fatal in some instances.

Who gets “staph” or MRSA infections?
Infections by means of staph bacteria, including MRSA, occur most often amid hospitalized or health facilitated persons who suffer from weakened immune systems.

What is HA-MRSA?
HA-MRSA or healthcare-associated MRSA is associated with individuals who have acquired MRSA through recent been hospitalization, surgery or dialysis. Staph infections, including HA-MRSA, occur most frequently in young people in hospitals and healthcare facilities who have weakened immune systems. Surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia can all be connected to healthcare-associated staph infections. Facilities included are hospitals and nursing homes.

What is CA-MRSA?
CA-MRSA or community-associated MRSA is associated with individuals who acquired MRSA and have not recently been hospitalized nor had medical procedures within the past year. CA-MRSA is known to produce serious symptoms. CA-MRSA infections typically begin as skin infections. They first appear as reddened areas on the skin, and can resemble pimples that develop into skin abscesses or boils causing fever, pus, swelling, or pain. These skin irritations are commonly mistaken for spider bites or infected cuts or scrapes. CA-MRSA skin infections can be treated by draining any abscesses or boils and providing localized care. Antibiotics can be given if necessary. When left untreated, CA-MRSA infections can progress into severe complications.

What are the criteria for distinguishing community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) from healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA)?
CA-MRSA infections are commonly distinguished based on specific medical criteria. A patient will be diagnosed for MRSA within 48 hours after hospital admission. Such diagnosis will involve either the out-patient setting or by culture positive. A patient will meet the criteria of CA-MRSA if there is no record of previous MRSA infection or colonization, no recent documentation of surgical procedure, dialysis, hospitalization, admission to a skilled nursing facility, nursing home admittance, or hospice in the past year, and no permanent medical devices of any sort that connect to the body by passing through the skin.

What are the clinical features of CA-MRSA?
Clinical features of CA-MRSA are generally documented as skin or soft tissue contagion. The description of a “spider bite” is frequently used by patients to visually describe his or her skin irritation. The site of concern is commonly classified as red in color. The source of infection may also be inflamed and tender. Pain is accustomed in the area of irritation, and pus or other drainage may be noticeable. However, aggravation of the skin membrane is not the only possible symptom of staph infection, more serious infections, such as blood stream infections or pneumonia can develop.

Are certain people at increased risk for community-associated staph or MRSA infections?
Specific groups of people with the CA-MRSA infection are thoroughly investigated. Such groups include athletes, military recruits, daycare attendees, injection drug users, prisoners, and other groups of people who live in public and communal settings and/or share potentially contaminated items. Settings included are sports teams, schools, childcare facilities, households, and jails.

How is MRSA Spread?
Staph and/or MRSA’s focal method of transmission is essentially through the hands. The hands of an individual may become contaminated through physical contact with persons carrying or containing the infection. The infection may also be distributed through physical contact with contaminated body site of infected people, as well as by means of contaminated devices, items, or environmental surfaces polluted infected body fluids. Such items include toys, towels, sheets, wound dressings, clothes, workout areas, and sports equipment. Over crowded living environments and poor hygiene both personally and environmentally are all known factors associated with the increased spread of MRSA amongst communities. CA-MRSA is spread by poor hygiene practices which encourage the multiplication of bacteria.

How can MRSA be controlled?
Luckily the spread of CA-MRSA can be controlled. Hand washing is the most effective way to control the spread of CA-MRSA. Also, personal items such as razors, towels, clothing, etc. are not to be shared, and skin infections caused by MRSA should be covered until fully healed.

How is a MRSA infection diagnosed?
A small biopsy of skin, drainage from the infected site, or a culture of a skin lesion can all be used when testing for skin infection. A sputum culture must be obtained when analyzing Pneumonia. The diagnostic procedure for bloodstream infection involves blood cultures by means of aseptic techniques. Aseptic techniques are used to obtain urine cultures when diagnosing urinary infection.

How are CA-MRSA infections treated?
Staph infections may be treated by incision and drainage. Antibiotic treatment must be conducted according to the organism’s susceptibility.

How do CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA strains differ?
Recent outbreaks of MRSA in community settings have been documented as specific strains containing some sort of unique and distinctive property which may aid and permit the spread of community strains. Additional studies have been conducted differentiate properties of HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA strains. Three S. aureus strains with the ability to cause CA-MRSA infections have been discovered in the U.S.