Bengaluru: The news of protest at a nursing college in Mangaluru on Saturday after nearly 60 nursing students were reported to have been infected with superbug MRSA (Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) seemed to have caught IT city's attention.
Chaos
Apart from chaos that the infected students were not being allowed to go home to rest, there was confusion among the nursing fraternity who considered it as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS).
“There was chaos as it was being confused with the dreaded Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS) virus. But it was Miticillin Resistant Staphalococus Aures infection (MRSA),” said Dr Ramakrishna Rao, DHO, Mangaluru.
He said, “MRSA is an infection which can occur in different parts of the body and is a bacterium tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus, because it is resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.”
On the seriousness of the infection, Dr Rao said, “It may or may not cause infection, and most of the MRSA infections are minor. The reason it is called a superbug is that it doesn't respond to many antibiotics and is resistant to Miticillin.
“Only in people who have low immunity, it can be a challenge and turn into life-threatening. Most often, it causes mild infections on the skin, like sores or boils. But it can also cause serious skin infections if it enters the system through any cut or wound. It can infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract,” said Dr Leelavathy, Professor of Dermatology and Head of the Department, Bowring Hospital.
The doctor said since the infection spreads through skin contact and not through air, it should not be a cause of worry for Bengalureans.
“It usually spreads through skin contact and if you are in contact with a person in a compact place. It generally spreads among the younger age group. More importantly, people who are immuno-compromised have to look out for this infection,” said Dr Leelavathy.
