MRSA

Post date: Nov 23, 2010 8:07:09 PM

November 23 (afternoon) - Grady Jeremiah is doing better with his breathing today. He has the canula to give him some air flow as well as to give him low levels of extra oxygen. It seems to be helping. We are enjoying his new room and having sunshine! The little guy looks even better in natural light! We will write more about it later today.

Today's surprise was the news that he has a colonization of MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a type of bacteria that is resistant to common antibiotics. If you are curious and want to learn more about it from a good site by the Mayo clinic, click here.

The good news in this diagnosis is that it is only a colonization still, and not an infection. MRSA is very dangerous to premature babies if it gets into their blood stream. Right now it is just a colonization in his nasal lining. He did not have it when he was born, so he picked it up here in the hospital. Since 1 out of every 3 Americans has it on their skin, there is no way to know how it got on him or from whom. This type of colonization (which easily could be on us or you!) normally poses no danger to people with a healthy immune system. It is of concern to those with weakened immune systems, which includes premature babies.

What does all this mean? It means that the little guy will start getting some strong antibiotic ointment put in his nose several times a day to wipe it out completely. For us, nothing changes. We can keep touching him and holding him as before. Really, it just changes the precautions the doctors take when handling him so that they don't spread it. Our room feels a bit like a quarantine (which it is not!), with a bag on the doors for the doctors and nurses to put on a disposable apron and gloves when they work with him. Since MRSA is transmitted by touch, it is a precaution taken to make sure it does not spread to other babies in the unit.

Please pray that the colonization is wiped out by the antibiotics used and that it does not spread into his blood stream to become an infection. Please pray that his immune system will be strengthened. Please pray that he will stay free from any infection.