MRSA Experts Please DP has MRSA in his back!

[passmyglassplease]

DP went into hospital 9 weeks ago and was diagnosed with ostemyelitis with staffy A being the bacteria.

He stayed on the ward for three weeks and was then sent home with IV antibiotics, he lasted 10 days at home and was then readmitted and has been in hospital ever since, trying antibiotic after antibiotic. He has deteriorated to such a degree now that I am really worried that they cant seem to get the infection under control. Can someone reassure me that they will manage to cure him? What are his chances of full recovery?

Poor you! (And DP of course)

Osteomyelitis is pretty serious and he will be on the antibiotic equivalent of domestos. MRSA takes a long time to treat properly (IV antibiotics for at least 6 weeks, and can be for much longer) but I have seen people make a full recovery.

He needs to make sure he is eating well, good nutritious food will help his body to fight the infection, even if it is small portions. The hospital should be really hot on hand-hygiene. I believe there is some evidence that tea tree oil helps reduce the amount of MRSA present in the skin so a nice teatree showergel might help?

Is he having physio? He'll be feeling weak because muscles start to waste even after only a couple of days of being ill, but physio can help and it also breaks the day up - it must be terribly boring being in hospital for so long.

And finally, make sure you're looking after yourself, you need to stay positive for him!

thanks for the info spannerpants, I shall be getting some tea tree shower gel later both for him and me.

Do I need to boil wash sheets? They have already been washed on a 50 degree wash will this be enough?

I'm not sure about boil washing sheets but it sounds like it would be a good idea. MRSA lives harmlessly on the skin of a lot of people so the most important thing is good hand hygiene to try and stop passing it on.