MRSA Infection Center - Pittsfield, MAPittsfield Infectious Disease Specialist Doctors for MRSA InfectionType of Physician: Infectious Disease Specialist What is a Infectious Disease Specialist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners deal with infectious diseases of all types and in all organs. AIDS patients and patients with fevers of unknown origin are often diagnosed and treated by these subspecialists. They are also experts in preventive medicine and medical conditions associated with travel. Specialty: Infectious Disease Common Name: Infectious Disease Specialist Doctors in Pittsfield * Berkshire Medical Group PC  Joanne Levin MD  Pioneer Valley Infectious Disease Associates  Claudia T Martorell MD LLC  South Hadley Wellness Center  Robert P Hoffman MD  Kevin E Schmidt MD  Baystate Infectious Diseases  Baystate Infectious Diseases  Baystate Infectious Diseases  Baystate Infectious Diseases  Baystate Infectious Diseases  Baystate Infectious Diseases  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Palmer Medical Center Pittsfield, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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MRSAWhat is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)?MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria. This organism is known for causing skin infections in addition to many other types of infections. There are other designations in the scientific literature for these bacteria according to where the bacteria are acquired by patients, such as community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA or CMRSA), hospital-acquired or health-care-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA or HMRSA), or epidemic MRSA (EMRSA). Statistical data suggest that as many as 19,000 people per year die from MRSA in the U.S.; current data suggest this number has declined by about 25%-35% in recent years, in part, because of prevention practices at hospitals and home care. Although S. aureus has been causing infections (Staph infections) probably as long as the human race has existed, MRSA has a relatively short history. MRSA was first noted in 1961, about two years after the antibiotic methicillin was initially used to treat S. aureus and other infectious bacteria. The resistance to methicillin was due to a penicillin-binding protein coded for by a mobile genetic element termed the methicillin-resistant gene (mecA). In recent years, the gene has continued to evolve so that many MRSA strains are currently resistant to several different antibiotics such as penicillin, oxacillin, and amoxicillin (Amoxil, Dispermox, Trimox). HA-MRSA are often also resistant to tetracycline (Sumycin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, Ilosone), and clindamycin (Cleocin). In 2009, research showed that many antibiotic-resistant genes and toxins are bundled and transferred together to other bacteria, which speed the development of toxic and resistant strains of MRSA. S. aureus is sometimes termed a "superbug" because of their ability to be resistant to several antibiotics. Recommended Reading Related to MRSAAntibiotic Resistance (Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance) » Quick facts about drug resistance
D...Read the Antibiotic Resistance (Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance) article » Other Related MRSA Infection ArticlesEmergency Contact for Pittsfield
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Suggested Reading on MRSA by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
17 articles-
Boils
- A boil is a skin abscess, a collection of pus localized deep in the skin. There are several different types of boils. Among them are the following: furuncle or carbuncle, Cystic acne, Hidradenitis suppurativa, and Pilonidal cyst.
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Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding
- It's important to know whether you will breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby prior to delivery, as the breasts' ability to produce milk diminishes soon after childbirth without the stimulation of breastfeeding. Breast milk is easily digested by babies and contains infection-fighting antibodies and cholesterol, which promotes brain growth. Formula-fed babies actually need to eat somewhat less often since formula is less readily digested by the baby than human milk. This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of both forms of feeding.
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Burns (First Aid)
- Burns are categorized by severity as first, second, or third degree. First degree burns are similar to a painful sunburn. The damage is more severe with second degree burns, leading to blistering and more intense pain. The skin turns white and loses sensation with third degree burns. Burn treatment depends upon the location, total burn area, and intensity of the burn.
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Fever
- Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
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Pneumonia
- Pneumonia is inflammation of one or both lungs with consolidation. Pneumonia is frequently but not always due to infection. The infection may be bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough with sputum production, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
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Staph Infection (Staphylococcus Aureus)
- Staphylococcus or Staph is a group of bacteria that can cause a multitude of diseases. Staph infections can cause illness directly by infection or indirectly by the toxins they produce. Symptoms and signs of a Staph infection include redness, swelling, pain, and drainage of pus. Minor skin infections are treated with an antibiotic ointment, while more serious infections are treated with intravenous antibiotics.
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Rash
- The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
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Cellulitis
- Cellulitis is an acute spreading bacterial infection below the surface of the skin characterized by redness, warmth, inflammation, and pain. The most common cause of cellulitis is the bacteria Staph (Staphylococcus aureus).
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Impetigo
- Impetigo is a contagious skin infection caused by staph and strep bacteria. There are two types of impetigo: non-bullous and bullous. Symptoms of non-bullous impetigo include small blisters on the nose, face, arms, or legs and possibly swollen glands. Bullous impetigo symptoms include blisters in various areas, particularly in the buttocks area. Treatment involves gentle cleansing, removing the crusts of popped blisters, and the application of prescription-strength mupirocin antibiotic ointment.
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Headache
- Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
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Antibiotic Resistance (Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance)
- Drug resistance (antimicrobial resistance) is the ability of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses to grow, even in the presence of a drug that would normally kill it (or limit it's growth). Drug resistance is a growing problem, particularly for infections such as MRSA, VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci), tuberculosis, HIV, STDs, gonorrhea, flu, pneumonia, malaria, E. coli, salmonella, Campylobacter, which causes diarrhea and gastroenteritis. Learn how to protect yourself from resistance to drugs.
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Sty (Stye)
- A sty (sometimes spelled stye) is a tender, painful red bump located at the base of an eyelash or on, inside, or under the eyelid, which is the result of an acute infection of the oil glands of the eyelid. Complications of a sty can be blepharitis and chalazion.
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Spider Bites (Including Black Widow and Brown Recluse)
- The majority of spiders in the United States are harmless. Two exceptions include the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Symptoms of a harmless spider bite generally involve redness, irritation, and pain. alized symptoms of bites from black widow and brown recluse spiders may include: nausea and vomiting, fever, headache, abdominal pain, joint pain, and more. In general, a brown recluse spider bite or black widow spider bite may require medical attention. The information includes pictures of the brown recluse and black widow spiders for identification.
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Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE)
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection is the most common type of infection acquired by patients while hospitalized. Patients at risk for VRE are those who are already ill, and hospitalized, including individuals with diabetes, elderly, ICU patients, kidney failure patients, or patients requiring catheters. Enterococci can survive for months in the digestive tract and female genital tract. Other risk factors for acquiring VRE include those how have been previously treated with vancomycin and combinations of other antibiotics. Treatment of VRE is generally with other antibiotics other than vancomycin. Prevention of VRE can be achieved by proper hand hygiene.
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Sepsis
- Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a potentially deadly infection with signs and symptoms that include elevated heart rate, low or high temperature, rapid breathing and/or a white blood cell count that is too high or too low and has more than 10% band cells. Most cases of sepsis are caused by bacterial infections, and some cases are caused by fungal infections. Treatment requires hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and therapy to treat any organ dysfunction.
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Gangrene
- Gangrene may result when blood flow to a tissue is lost or not adequate to keep the tissue alive. There are two types of gangrene: wet and dry. All cases of wet gangrene are infected by bacteria. Most cases of dry gangrene are not infected. If wet gangrene goes untreated, the patient may die of sepsis and die within hours or days. Dry gangrene usually doesn't cause the patient to die. Symptoms of dry gangrene include numbness, discoloration, and mummification of the affected tissue. Wet gangrene symptoms include swelling, pain, pus, bad smell, and black appearance of the affected tissue. Treatment depends upon the type of gangrene and how much tissue is compromised by the gangrene.
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Necrotizing Fasciitis
- Necrotizing fasciitis is also known as a flesh-eating bacterial infection, Fournier's gangrene, suppurative fasciitis, and necrotizing cellulitis. The disease is occasionally caused by fungi, but most cases are caused by bacteria that enter the skin through insect bites, cuts, puncture wounds, or surgical incisions. Symptoms include pain, redness, swelling, fever, chills, skin ulceration, bullae formation, black scabs, gas formation, and fluid draining from the site of infection. Treatment involves hospitalization, the use of intravenous antibiotics, and debridement of the necrotic tissue.
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Boils
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Medications
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Procedures & Tests
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