Posted By Rob35 Drop me a line, had experience of workers spreading the SA (Not even going to try and spell it ;-)) of the MRSA within the working environment and may have info that would help. Rob35

Posted By Ian Blenkharn MRSA carriage is inevitably common there days, and appears to be increasing though this increase may be more apparent than real as more and more studies are done to monitor spread. There are infection risks for those carrying MRSA, for example when having surgery, but for healthy individuals the impact of carriage is more or less insignificant. Bloodstream MRSA infection is a serious medical problem but don't confuse this with teh need for blood and body fluid precautions (the CDC Universal and Standard Precautions) - this is not at all relevant in this situation. MRSA carriage is often found in teh nasal cavity and groin those for individuals with established MRSA colonisation the organism may be found in other skin site and in the hair. Transmission to close cohorts is not uncommon so close family members and even the family pet can acquire MRSA on their skin, or fur, though the impact is again generally negligible. Environmental contamination secondary to persistent carriage can be extensive, and studies in the homes of persistent carriers can be extensive with the organism found in dust and on furnishings and fabrics. The implications for casual contacts is negligible. If that were the case, then healthcare workers would be at the greatest risk of acquired infection and that is not the case. You may encounter MRSA carriers in the high street, in the cinema, in a restaurant or at the pub, on a crowded tube train, or at work. The risk is more of less non-existent. Carriage can be treated using antiseptic body wash preparations and antibiotic cream put into the nose. This is almost always successful though on occasions several treatment episodes may be needed. Untreated, carriage will often fade away over weeks though few long-term studies have been done to study this in detail and there is the complication of new acquisition from some other source or contamination in the domestic environment after early eradication. In this case, the family dog gets the blame! Ian Blenkharn