Dr Rob has posted a brief, well-written Q&A on Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA) in his exam rooms and on his blog. Here are two of his responses to common questions about MRSA – head on over to his blog for the rest.
Q: Can MRSA be dangerous?
A: What made the news recently was a fatal case in a teenager in Virginia, so yes, it can be dangerous. Yet it is extremely rare that it would get this bad. To be dangerous, it would need to be ignored for quite a while.Q: Should I be worried?
A: Yes and no. While the big picture of antibiotic resistance is serious and must be addressed on an international level, it is not an immediate threat to your health any more than other medical problems. There are much bigger issues, like good nutrition, exercise, and immunizations that have much bigger impacts on your life than being worried about MRSA
Exactly the kind of calm, reasoned answers patients need. Thanks, Dr Rob!
You are welcome. I just get tired of all the hysteria from moment to moment here in the office. MRSA is a very serious thing, but hysteria is never helpful.