New MRSA Test

OWENSBORO MEDICAL HEALTH SYSTEM IS USING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO TEST FOR M-R-S-A STAPH INFECTIONS. WITH THE SWAB OF THE NOSE, MEDICAL STAFF HERE AT OWENSBORO MEDICAL HEALTH SYSTEM CAN DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A M-R-S-A STAPH INFECTION, IN A MATTER OF HOURS RATHER THAN SEVERAL DAYS. IT MAY APPEAR SIMPLE, BUT ITS REALLY MUCH MORE COMPLEX Harold Vore: "It actually looks for DNA sequences specific to the organism." IN THE PAST, A CULTURE OF THE BACTERIA WAS TESTED TO GET THE RESULTS, BUT WAITING FOR BACTERIA TO GROW TOOK TIME. NOW THAT STEP HAS BEEN ELIMINATED, ALTHOUGH CULTURE SAMPLES OF A SORE ARE STILL TAKEN. REDUCING THE SPREAD OF STAPH INFECTIONS HAS BEEN A PRIMARY GOAL OF THE HOSPITAL, ESPECIALLY THE NUMBER OF CASES ON THE RISE. SO IN TURN THE HOSPITAL IS TESTING MORE. Marcella Henderson, RN: "When patients come in to the hospital, if they are high risk for MRSA, they are put into isolation until we get the results back from the lab." ONLY NOW THAT WAITING TIME IN ISOLATION IS MUCH SHORTER, WHICH IS GOOD FOR PATIENTS. THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT ONLY HIGHLY TECHNICAL, BUT HIGHLY EXPENSIVE AT 60-THOUSAND DOLLARS. WITH 70 PERCENT OF STAPH INFECTIONS TESTING POSITIVE AS M-R-S-A, IT MAY BE WELL WORTH IT. MEDICAL STAFF SAY PREVENTION AND EDUCATION ARE STILL THE KEYS TO STOPPING THE SPREAD OF A STAPH INFECTION. PREVENTION TIPS INCLUDE ALWAYS WASHING YOUR HANDS, WASHING ANY ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT, NOT SHARING PERSONAL ITEMS, AND MAKING SURE ANY OPEN WOUNDS ARE PROPERLY COVERED