Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus - Symptoms of MRSA infection
- Introduction
- Symptoms of MRSA infection
- Causes of MRSA infection
- Treating MRSA infection
- Preventing MRSA infection
- Screening: MRSA frequently asked questions
- See what the doctor sees with Map of Medicine
- Diagnosis
The symptoms of an MRSA infection will depend on what part of the body is infected. Many people carry the MRSA bacteria inside their nose but will never have any symptoms.
Skin and soft tissue MRSA infections
Boils and abscesses
An MRSA skin infection usually first develops as a painful bump or a mark in the skin that looks like an insect bite. The bacteria often enter the skin through a cut, graze or a hair follicle. This develops into a painful, pus-filled swelling (boil).
Some people have additional symptoms, such as a high temperature and a general feeling of being unwell.
In some cases, MRSA can cause a larger, pus-filled lump to develop underneath the skin. This is known as an abscess.
Cellulitis
MRSA contracted outside hospitals or care homes (called community-associated MRSA or CA-MRSA) is much rarer but often causes more extensive skin infections, including a type of infection called cellulitis.
Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the deeper layers of skin and the layer of fat and soft tissues underneath the skin. The main symptom is the skin suddenly turning red, painful, hot and swollen.
Invasive MRSA infections
If the MRSA bacteria penetrate deeper inside your body or into your blood, they can cause serious infections.
Signs that you may have an invasive infection include:
- a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
- chills
- a general sense of feeling unwell
- dizziness
- confusion
- muscular aches and pains
- pain, swelling and tenderness in the affected body part
Invasive MRSA infections can lead to the following conditions:
- blood poisoning (sepsis) - which could lead to septic shock, where your blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level
- urinary tract infection - infection of the parts of the body used to take urine out of the body, such as the bladder
- endocarditis - infection of the lining of the heart
- pneumonia - a lung infection
- septic bursitis - inflammation of bursa (small fluid-filled sacs under the skin) caused by a bacterial infection
- septic arthritis - inflammation of a joint caused by a bacterial infection
- osteomyelitis - a bone infection caused by bacteria
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