World MRSA Awareness Month and Infection Control Resources to Protect Patients, Workers, and Building Occupants

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a type of staph that can be resistant to several antibiotics. The agency cautions that anyone can get a MRSA infection or carry MRSA. The risks increase for those with hospitalizations or nursing home stays, skin-to-skin contact with others, and exposure to crowded or unhygienic places.

MRSA can survive on some surfaces, like towels, razors, and furniture, for hours, days, or even weeks, warns the CDC. It can spread to people who touch a contaminated surface and cause infections if it gets into a cut, scrape, or open wound.

In the past, most MRSA infections have been associated with hospitalization or other healthcare-associated risk factors. However, in more recent years, healthcare providers have observed MRSA infections in an increasing number of people who lack traditional healthcare-associated risk factors. These people appear to have what are known as community-associated (CA-MRSA) infections.

This month marks the 17^th annual observation of World MRSA Awareness Month. It’s a good time to remember that although the risks associated with MRSA infections are all too real, there are steps that can be taken to reduce these hazards. Education, good personal hygiene, and basic facility hygiene can all make a difference. This can go a long way towards mitigating both infection risks and unwarranted fear of MRSA by understanding the ubiquitous nature of staph and the MRSA strain, and by practicing consistent prevention tactics, such as basic wound care, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and proper cleaning and disinfection procedures.

To help in these efforts, the professionals at CSC provide clients with building science and infection control consulting services; personal protective equipment training and educational resources; and environmental testing to confirm cleaning and disinfection protocols are effective for superbugs such as MRSA, C. diff, and other pathogens. CSC also offers a quick and concise response to reported outbreaks to address both the anxieties and the tangible issues related to pathogens. CSC has even sponsored an educational video about World MRSA Awareness Month that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/yr63zHw3y14

To learn more about this or other infection control, building science, or industrial hygiene services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com, or call 800-807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark, Inc. (CSC)
Since 1996, CSC has helped clients in both the public and private sectors address indoor air quality, occupational health, and environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers, and real estate professionals.

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Paul Cochrane

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Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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