My husband has recently had a serious bout of pneumonia, and he was in intensive care for 16 days.
Now he has MRSA, and I'm worried about whether our grandchildren could become infected.
What precautions should we take?
Am I likely to have become infected too?
What exactly is MRSA?
How would we know if we have it?
MRSA is short for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.
This is a bacteria that's mainly a problem within hospitals, and particularly on orthopaedic wards where there's a risk of infection during surgery and joint replacements.
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria that lives on the skin of all humans and is normally harmless.
The problem is many of these bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin.
This can cause major problems on wards.
For example, people who are having surgical procedures are at risk because their wounds can become infected and this is very difficult to treat.
The germ can be spread by direct contact of an infected person's skin with the hands of others who are looking after the patient. Then, it can be passed on to other patients and staff.
Special measures are taken by hospitals and these are designed to prevent the spread of MRSA to other patients.
This involves taking bacterial samples from wounds and noses and throats to identify the bug and nurses wearing protective gloves and gowns when handling the infected person.
Once people are at home, MRSA will be of little consequence because it's unlikely to infect anyone else.
The people who are at risk from MRSA are those whose immune systems are deficient or have open wounds.
I wouldn't worry about having tests to find the bacteria unless you are planning to visit hospital or be with people who have suppressed immune systems – such as those having chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
As a general rule, it's wise for you to ensure that you wash hands well before playing with your grandchildren.
But your husband is not putting them at risk by being around them.
The NetDoctor Medical Team
Other Qs & As