Question: My son had MRSA twice this year. Is there any kind of vaccine to prevent him from getting it again in the future? He has already been on IV drugs and antibiotics.
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Stapylococcus Aureus — a bacterial staph infection that cannot be treated with conventional antibiotics. It is spread by direct contact and is drug resistant, which means treatment needs to be by surgical drainage and maintaining the immune system.
Oral antibiotics don't cure this condition. IV antibiotics offer some limited effectiveness, but cost $1,000 or more per dose and don't always work. The biggest danger is when MRSA enters the blood stream bathing the brain, heart, and other vital organs with bacteria.
MRSA infections can also remain "hidden" from our immune system, in the GI tract, blood, and in abscessed tissue that is not easily accessed by medications.
Attempts to develop an effective MRSA vaccine have not been successful, in part because it can remain hidden for years after infection. Poor hygiene, indiscriminate antibiotic overuse, and resistance are the reasons MRSA has become such a public health threat.
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