MRSA Infection Compensation
MRSA (Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is an infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, known more simply as staph bacteria. In MRSA, the strand of bacteria has evolved to become immune to meticillin and several of the other antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infections. As with other forms of staph infection, some people are healthy carriers of MRSA, who do not suffer any physical symptoms and may not even be aware that they are carriers. It can be found on the skin and inside the nose of healthy people, however it is usually not a risk to people with strong immune systems. In these people, MRSA is usually harmless and does not require treatment. However, in other cases, the staph bacteria may get under the surface of the skin and cause infection. This is most common amongst people who have cuts or other open wounds, which allow the bacteria access beneath the skin. In these instances, a person may suffer from a number of physical symptoms, including pimples, boils, skin infections and abscesses.
Symptoms of MRSA
Generally speaking, MRSA strains are no more infectious or more aggressive than other staph strains. However, what makes MRSA problematic is its resistance to meticillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics. This makes it much more difficult to successfully treat than other staph infections and limits the choice of antibiotics.
MRSA has become much more prevalent since the 1980s and is especially common in hospitals, where people may already be ill and have open wounds. Contracting MRSA away from hospital is less common, but people at risk include those in prisons or nursing homes, or those with HIV.
MRSA Treatments
Should you or a loved one be diagnosed with an MRSA infection, the treatment you are prescribed will depend on a number of factors. These factors include:
- What MRSA infection you have
- The severity of symptoms
- Where the infection lies
- What antibiotics the particular strain of MRSA you are diagnosed with is sensitive to
If you are suffering only with a minor case of MRSA, you will likely only require very little treatment. This may consist of the draining away of any pus from the site of the infection, which should fully treat the condition. Alternatively, an antibacterial wash or powder may be prescribed to remove MRSA from the body, cream to remove the infection from the nose or an antibacterial shampoo to eliminate infection from the scalp. You will not be admitted to hospital in any of the above cases.
In more serious cases of MRSA, however, sufferers may be prescribed a more rigorous course of antibiotic injections. Depending on the severity and site of the infection, the course of treatment could last up to six weeks and a combination of antibiotics will be used.
How can I make a claim for MRSA?
If you or a loved one has suffered an MRSA infection that could have been prevented, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. At Russell Worth solicitors, we are experts in clinical negligence and our experienced team of solicitors have recovered thousands of pounds in compensation for victims of medical negligence and their families.
We understand that compensation won’t take away your pain and suffering however regrettably, this is the closest method we have to seeking justice for the negligence you and our family have experienced. Contact us today to see if we can help you and your family to make a claim.
Claiming Compensation
Free Legal Advice
If you are unsure whether you can claim compensation for a personal injury sustained in the armed forces, then call our personal injury claims team for free for no obligation advice on making a claim. They will ask you some simple questions about your condition, talk to you about what’s happened and can tell you if you have a viable claim for compensation or not.
Call us 24/7 on 0800 028 2060.
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