MRSA found in newborns in Canadian hospital
November 20, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Women's Health
With all the news about methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), many people are becoming more aware of the way it’s spread and the damaage it can do. MRSA is a so-called super-bug that resists most antibiotics.
When I was working in labor and delivery, I remember having a swab of my nasal passages for some sort of bacteria. Since this was in 1980, I don’t think it was MRSA, but I remember we all needed to be tested before we could work in the nursery with the newborns. I have to admit I haven’t thought any more about it, but maybe I should have.
A hospital in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) has found that 9 babies have tested positive for MRSA within the past few months. This does not mean that they are infected with MRSA, it means they are colonized. The difference is that many of us have all different types of bacteria in or on our body that aren’t doing us any harm. The bacteria is colonized, but you’re only infected if it makes you ill. Because the babies are generally healthy, it’s probably not a worry. MRSA only affects people who are already ill, have suppressed immune systems, or are otherwise at risk (elderly, for example). That being said, the fewer people who are infected with MRSA the better, because they can pass this on.
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Tags: pregancy blog, labor and delivery, MRSA and newborns, methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, superbug
