Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA); Hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA)

Staph skin infections normally cause a red, swollen, and painful area on the skin. Other symptoms may include:

• A skin abscess
• Drainage of pus or other fluids from the site
• Fever
• Warmth around the infected area

Symptoms of a more serious staph infection mayinclude:

• Rash
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Chills
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Malaise(general feeling of illness)
• Headache

Depending on the extent and severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend the following tests:

• A skin biopsy and culture from the infected site
• Culture of the drainage (fluid) from the infection, to see which organism grows in it
• Blood culture
• Sputum culture through coughing or bronchoscopy, if pneumonia is present or suspected
• Urine culture if a urinary tract infection is present or suspected

Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, et al., eds. Hyponatremia. In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 15th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2001:896-99.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CA-MRSA Information for Clinicians. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_clinicians.html. Accessed October 27, 2005.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa.html. Accessed October 27, 2005.

Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Available at: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/biol_hazards/methicillin.html. Accessed October 27, 2005.