Molnlycke Drives 'Home' the Fight Against Staph and Other MRSA ...( New Hibistat(R) Germicidal Towelet...),Health

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NORCROSS, Ga., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Once almost exclusively confined to hospital settings, drug-resistant staph infections, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), are increasingly finding their way right through the front doors of homes across America.

Known as community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), this strain of staph infection is found in individuals who have not been hospitalized or undergone a medical procedure within the past 12 months.(1) Outbreaks of CA-MRSA have been documented for more than 20 years(2), but recent reports indicate infections from this strain of staph are on the rise. MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus, in general, are germs that live on the skin of healthy people and spread from person to person on contaminated hands, skin and surfaces. It has the potential to become serious when it enters the body through scrapes and scratches potentially leading to blood and joint infections, pneumonia, and even death.

"We're definitely hearing more reported MRSA cases in the community, especially among active, healthy, young people," said Carolyn Twomey, RN, vice president of clinical and technical affairs, Molnlycke Health Care US. "Unfortunately, the spread of this type of MRSA stems, in large part, from individuals sharing close quarters and coming in contact with contaminated objects -- conditions we often see in schools, day cares, and locker rooms. It's easy to see how MRSA is now making its way into American households."

MRSA can survive for prolonged periods of time on common objects and surfaces, increasing the chances of cross-contamination and allowing it to be easily passed on to friends and family members. For example, MRSA can live for:

- 9 weeks on a towel;

- 14 days on formica;

- 6 months on dust;

- 56 days on a mop head; and

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