Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) also called the "super bug", is a bacterial skin infection that can be serious and even deadly.

Approximately one in three healthy individuals carry this bacteria "staphylococcus bacteria" on the skin, or in their nose and also possibly in the back of their throat.

Those individuals that are carrying the bacteria but are healthy are labeled as being colonised, but not infected. If the bacteria do get under the skin through an opening such as a wound, then the person can be made ill, especially if it reaches the blood stream.

These bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics, which makes fighting them difficult.

MRSA is not a new infection, is has been around since the 1960's, but new strains of the bacteria crop up as they mutate and become resistant to new treatments. Individuals not taking the full course of antibiotics as prescribed, which allows the bacteria to survive and multiply, have assisted this mutating. Another way that the bacteria can mutate is when there is an overuse of antibiotics. The bacteria encounter the antibiotics so often that they adapt and learn how to survive.

To help minimize the occurrence of bacteria mutating and adapting to antibiotics it is important that individuals do not try to persuade doctors to give them antibiotics that are not necessary. Individuals who have been prescribed antibiotics need to finish the entire prescribed amount even if they begin to feel better.

MRSA can be contracted by skin-to-skin contact with an individual infected with MRSA.

Touching surfaces that have been contaminated with the MRSA infection such as door handles, razors, clothing, towels and bed linens (low risk, but still there). Individuals who are at most risk for contracting MRSA are those who have weakened immune systems like those who are elderly, premature and newborn babies, and those who already have infection of another nature in their body.

Also at risk for MRSA are those who have burns, open wounds or are ungoing surgery or have open entrances into their body that are manmade like intravenous drip.

Individuals who are in close contact with those infected with MRSA are also at risk including hospital staff, nursing home staff and other residential care facilities that have nursing care associated with them. The mentioned individuals are only at risk if they have open wounds such as cuts or abrasions or are in the other risk categories and have the exposure risk as well.

What does MRSA look like?

It can appear as pimples or boils. The area that is infected will look swollen, red and be painful.

Bacteria from MRSA can travel into the bloodstream if the infected wound is deep. This can cause secondary infections such as abscesses, osteomyelitis (bone infection), heart valve infections, urinary tract infections and lung infections such as pneumonia. Blood poisoning (septicaemia) is also a threat. These secondary infections can be serious and compromise an already weakened immune system.

A doctor who will use a culture to determine the bacteria causing the infection must diagnose MRSA. If the bacteria - S. aureus is found in the culture, a test will be conducted to see if methicillin antibiotic will kill the bacteria; if it doesn't than the diagnosis of MRSA will be made. Those who are colonised should make an effort to get rid of or at least reduce the bacteria on their skin, to reduce the risk of contracting MRSA if a wound should happen.

Those infected with the MRSA bacteria will be treated with antibiotics that are shown to be able to kill the MRSA bacterial such as linezolid, teicoplanin or vancomycin.