Friend Has MRSA Staph Infection, and Wants To Get Together

Hello all. I recently got in touch with a friend I hadn't seen in awhile, and I asked if he wanted to get together, perhaps go see some live music tomorrow night.

He said he would be delighted, so we made the plans.

He then proceeded to tell me that he had, in the last week, had an old MRSA staph infection resurface, and was currently being treated with antiobiotics. He told me that one of the symptoms was skin boils.

After hearing this, I am ashamed to say that I wanted to cancel our plans. I hope that does not seem paranoid or offensive, but I felt so worried because from what I have read about staph, particularly MRSA staph infections, which are resistant to the commonly used abntibiotics, it can be very hard to treat, get very serious, and even be deadly.

I visit with my little niece and nephew regularly, and will see them this Saturday, in fact. And I am so afraid if I ever got this infection, or became a carrier, that I would infect them. I read that young children are at higher risk for serious complications from staph.

I wrote an email to my friend asking if I should take any precautions, and tried to apologise if I sounded offensive to him. He hasn't responded, and I am afraid to say that I almost hope he won't respond, because I don't feel comfortable with the idea of being around him when he is in the middle of a "breakout" of the staph.

Now, if someone can tell me that I am being totally paranoid, and why, then perhaps I can have some sense knocked into me. I admit, I am a little but of a germaphobe, and get anxious about these things. If I am over the line, someone please tell me. It just seems that from all the things I recall reading, staph is to be taken very seriously.

I called my friend who works in hospital, and he tells me that the nurses must wear masks, gloves, and long gowns, and do a 2-step hand wash procedure after working with MRSA staph patients. This has only added to my paranoia.

yeah, i might have done the same thing. especially in light of your contact with children.

I think you are being very reasonable in your precautions. I'd simply tell him that you don't feel comfortable meeting him while he has such a dangerous infection but that you'd be happy to see him when he's finished treatment.

Great advice--Feeling better already!!

I can understand that you don't want to potentially be exposed, but you'd have to have contact with the MRSA through broken skin (yours) to become infected with it. There are many cases of MRSA in the hospital setting because many people there are older, have weakened immune systems, may be receiving treatment for burns or open wounds, or have a major health problem.

It doesn't sound like you have a really high risk of getting MRSA yourself, and then spreading it to the kids either. Even if you came into contact with him, you are healthy (I think?) and probably wouldn't get the infection. If it got on your skin, that still doesn't you will get the infection since you have to have broken skin. So it'd probably wash off when you shower. Everyone has staph on their body.

My sister has MRSA and she gets boils sometimes on the back of her neck. She's had to go in many times to get the same ones cut open and drained, but she's never passed the infection to anyone she is around frequently. I live with her...have yet to get it. When she has them, they are well-cleaned and kept covered until healed completely, so we aren't exposed to it

I think you might be overreacting. You aren't at a high risk for getting MRSA from this guy unless you come into contact with his infection with your own broken skin. Don't touch him and take a shower before you see this kids. Or ask him where they are and if he's cleaned them and kept them covered.

I think if you read this page you might feel a little better:

"So, who does get serious Staph infections? Mostly it is those who have just had surgery and have skin that is open and healing"

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