Members of Maryland Family who Died had Influenza and MRSA

May 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Last month, Fox News reported that three members of the same Maryland family had died of flu complications.  Two of the three people who died had also been infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  

The news came from researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The three individuals included a mother and her two grown children.  Additional members of the family were also sickened by the flu, but did not test positive for MRSA.

MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin. Traditionally, most MRSA infections were related to hospital acquired infections (HAIs), but in recent years these infections appear to be on the rise in the community.  

“People who have developed the flu and MRSA typically have a higher mortality rate than others,” reported Susan White, Ph.D., CMC, President of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants (SEHC), a leading Mid-Atlantic indoor air quality (IAQ) and infection control consulting firm.  “Most MRSA infections are skin infections, but more severe and potentially life-threatening MRSA infections are believed to be responsible for thousands of deaths each year in the United States. Proactive testing for MRSA can help prevent outbreaks of the disease.  If an outbreak has occurred, testing for the bacteria can pinpoint sources of the potentially deadly pathogen to prevent further illnesses,” she continued.

MRSA infections, as with all staph, are usually spread by having contact with someone’s skin infection or personal items they have used, like towels, bandages, or razors that touched their infected skin. These infections are most likely to be spread in places where people are in close contact with others.

SEHC recently sponsored an educational video about MRSA that can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf1Zn3t-A5U&feature=plcp



To learn more about preventing infectious microbial pathogens, or other environmental and IAQ issues, please visit http://www.sussexenvironmental.com, email susan.white@mchsi.com or call (302) 947-1810.
 
About Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, LLC
SEHC is a certified woman owned business that provides environmental and health and safety consulting services.  The company is located in the Mid-Atlantic and services customers nationwide.  SEHC provides solutions to clients ranging from homeowners to international Fortune 500 Corporations.