MRSA in Dallas Nursing Homes; Is Your Loved One at Risk?

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterial staph infection. It is known as a "superbug" because it is resistant to a wide range of antibiotics, including those that are usually used to treat staph infections.
MRSA is very common in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care settings. Staph bacteria exist naturally in the environment and can get into the body and cause infection when a wound is left untreated or when devices such as catheters, feeding tubes, and IV’s are not properly cleaned. People can carry MRSA on their skin or in their nostrils. In U.S. nursing homes, the carrier rate varies widely. In some nursing homes, as many as 57 percent of residents are carriers of the bacteria. A 2012 study published in the Journal American Geriatric Society found that rates of MRSA carriage and infection are correlated with how effectively rooms and common areas in nursing homes are cleaned.
People can carry MRSA without becoming infected. But the elderly and the chronically ill are at high risk of MRSA infection. MRSA often starts out as a small bump on the skin that quickly develops into a deep, painful abscess that requires surgical draining. When MRSA bacteria infect the blood, MRSA can cause infections in the bones, joints, kidneys, liver, heart, or lungs.
MRSA in Texas nursing homes can be prevented if nursing homes promote good hygiene among workers and residents and keep the premises clean and disinfected.
If your loved one has contracted MRSA while a resident in a Texas nursing home and you suspect that nursing home neglect contributed to the infection, you may have a Texas nursing home negligence case. Contact the Dallas nursing home neglect attorneys at Rasansky Law Firm to learn how you can help your loved one. To schedule a free consultation, call (214) 651-6100.