MRSA

[mbonnette]

Hi,

My 21 year old daughter w/cf just got diagnosed as having MRSA in her sputum. I'm hearing mixed messages about whether it's contagious or not. If she coughs or sneezes on a surface, can someone else pick it up & get sick? Can my 3 year old granddaughter be around her? Can her 85 year old grandmother be around her?

Marie

 

[mbonnette]

Hi,

My 21 year old daughter w/cf just got diagnosed as having MRSA in her sputum. I'm hearing mixed messages about whether it's contagious or not. If she coughs or sneezes on a surface, can someone else pick it up & get sick? Can my 3 year old granddaughter be around her? Can her 85 year old grandmother be around her?

Marie

 

[mbonnette]

Hi,
<br />
<br />My 21 year old daughter w/cf just got diagnosed as having MRSA in her sputum. I'm hearing mixed messages about whether it's contagious or not. If she coughs or sneezes on a surface, can someone else pick it up & get sick? Can my 3 year old granddaughter be around her? Can her 85 year old grandmother be around her?
<br />
<br />Marie

 

[jennylivingston]

I'm not very knowledgable about MRSA, but my sister culters it. When we asked my CF clinic if this would cause problems or may be an increased risk for me, my doctor said that there was no guarantee that I wouldn't pick it up from her, but that there was also no guarantee that I wouldn't pick it up from the public, in general.

MRSA is, in fact, contagious, but it's not CF specific--many people have it. (My sister got it from working with the elderly.) We were told that using common sense (not sharing straws, forks, etc. as well as covering mouth when coughing or sneezing and regular hand washing) was really all that we could do to prevent her from spreading it to me.

So, my understanding is that yes-it's contagious, but that others are most likely safe around her and could essentially pick it up anywhere. Again, this is just what I have gathered, and I am admittedly not very informed on the subject. Someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[jennylivingston]

I'm not very knowledgable about MRSA, but my sister culters it. When we asked my CF clinic if this would cause problems or may be an increased risk for me, my doctor said that there was no guarantee that I wouldn't pick it up from her, but that there was also no guarantee that I wouldn't pick it up from the public, in general.

MRSA is, in fact, contagious, but it's not CF specific--many people have it. (My sister got it from working with the elderly.) We were told that using common sense (not sharing straws, forks, etc. as well as covering mouth when coughing or sneezing and regular hand washing) was really all that we could do to prevent her from spreading it to me.

So, my understanding is that yes-it's contagious, but that others are most likely safe around her and could essentially pick it up anywhere. Again, this is just what I have gathered, and I am admittedly not very informed on the subject. Someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[jennylivingston]

I'm not very knowledgable about MRSA, but my sister culters it. When we asked my CF clinic if this would cause problems or may be an increased risk for me, my doctor said that there was no guarantee that I wouldn't pick it up from her, but that there was also no guarantee that I wouldn't pick it up from the public, in general.
<br />
<br />MRSA is, in fact, contagious, but it's not CF specific--many people have it. (My sister got it from working with the elderly.) We were told that using common sense (not sharing straws, forks, etc. as well as covering mouth when coughing or sneezing and regular hand washing) was really all that we could do to prevent her from spreading it to me.
<br />
<br />So, my understanding is that yes-it's contagious, but that others are most likely safe around her and could essentially pick it up anywhere. Again, this is just what I have gathered, and I am admittedly not very informed on the subject. Someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Jana]

I had a serious conversation with my ID doctor about this once because I'm a teacher and regularly culture MRSA.

She told me that while it is technically possible, it's really very unlikely. She felt confident enough of that to tell my employers she thought it was fine for me to be in the classroom.

Of course, a few things to consider here:

1) She was familiar with my state of health and habits and probably wouldn't be willing to make that kind of statement in a general sense. In regards to me, she thought it was fine.

2) I have been teaching at the same school for years and began culturing MRSA at least 5 years before the issue arose (in the midst of a lot of media hype, we had a student with a MRSA skin infection, which she contracted from a relative at home, not from me; it just caused the issue to arise for me as well). That was a few years ago, and at this point, there has never even been a hint of a problem.

So, my experience would suggest it's fine as long as your daughter is careful. However, it would probably be best for her to ask her doctor to be sure.

 

[Jana]

I had a serious conversation with my ID doctor about this once because I'm a teacher and regularly culture MRSA.

She told me that while it is technically possible, it's really very unlikely. She felt confident enough of that to tell my employers she thought it was fine for me to be in the classroom.

Of course, a few things to consider here:

1) She was familiar with my state of health and habits and probably wouldn't be willing to make that kind of statement in a general sense. In regards to me, she thought it was fine.

2) I have been teaching at the same school for years and began culturing MRSA at least 5 years before the issue arose (in the midst of a lot of media hype, we had a student with a MRSA skin infection, which she contracted from a relative at home, not from me; it just caused the issue to arise for me as well). That was a few years ago, and at this point, there has never even been a hint of a problem.

So, my experience would suggest it's fine as long as your daughter is careful. However, it would probably be best for her to ask her doctor to be sure.

 

[Jana]

I had a serious conversation with my ID doctor about this once because I'm a teacher and regularly culture MRSA.
<br />
<br />She told me that while it is technically possible, it's really very unlikely. She felt confident enough of that to tell my employers she thought it was fine for me to be in the classroom.
<br />
<br />Of course, a few things to consider here:
<br />
<br />1) She was familiar with my state of health and habits and probably wouldn't be willing to make that kind of statement in a general sense. In regards to me, she thought it was fine.
<br />
<br />2) I have been teaching at the same school for years and began culturing MRSA at least 5 years before the issue arose (in the midst of a lot of media hype, we had a student with a MRSA skin infection, which she contracted from a relative at home, not from me; it just caused the issue to arise for me as well). That was a few years ago, and at this point, there has never even been a hint of a problem.
<br />
<br />So, my experience would suggest it's fine as long as your daughter is careful. However, it would probably be best for her to ask her doctor to be sure.

 

[coltsfan715]

I cultured MRSA for years before my transplant - currently I still culture the bacteria in my sinuses, like most "healthy" people. I have been around other CF patients and such and haven't had any issue with passing it to them.

Yes it is possible to spread MRSA - as mentioned above by coughing, sharing food, drinks and so on. There are precautions you can take if you are afraid of infecting either your older or younger family members. I always steered clear of people I considered to be "compromised" when I had a serious infection, beyond that just common sense seems to do the trick.

Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

I cultured MRSA for years before my transplant - currently I still culture the bacteria in my sinuses, like most "healthy" people. I have been around other CF patients and such and haven't had any issue with passing it to them.

Yes it is possible to spread MRSA - as mentioned above by coughing, sharing food, drinks and so on. There are precautions you can take if you are afraid of infecting either your older or younger family members. I always steered clear of people I considered to be "compromised" when I had a serious infection, beyond that just common sense seems to do the trick.

Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

I cultured MRSA for years before my transplant - currently I still culture the bacteria in my sinuses, like most "healthy" people. I have been around other CF patients and such and haven't had any issue with passing it to them.
<br />
<br />Yes it is possible to spread MRSA - as mentioned above by coughing, sharing food, drinks and so on. There are precautions you can take if you are afraid of infecting either your older or younger family members. I always steered clear of people I considered to be "compromised" when I had a serious infection, beyond that just common sense seems to do the trick.
<br />
<br />Lindsey