Questions about MRSA and c difficile

Specialties Disease

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Hi Everyone,

I am hoping someone can please help me out.

Earlier this year (February) I was forced to drop out of school when my husband, who is a Deputy Sheriff, contracted MRSA on his toe. He was hospitalized (isolated) and was given vanco thru IV for 4 days. He had one sore and it was lanced at the hospital. He was sent home with Zyvox and soon after, it cleared up with in two weeks. Prior to this he had a sore in his nose which he was given bactroban cream for. Within 4 days the sore on his toe appeared. He works in a basement under a courthouse in the jail there. He comes in contact with inmates on a daily basis. Its very common that inmates have MRSA so we are assuming this is where he got it.

I have two small children. My daughter, who at the time was 2 yrs 5 months, woke up with a very small pimple on her head. I took her to the dr. and he prescribed bactroban as well. It cleared up and we thought this was the end of it. I sanitized my entire house, threw out things that my husband had come in contact with (blankets, towels) and sanitized everything my daughter had touched (all of her toys...EVERYTHING) out of fear my son of 5 months would get it.

My worst fears came true when my son and daughter both had sores two months ago (May2009). The pediatrician didnt seem concerned so he put my son on sulfameth and my daughter on Cleocin since shes allergic to vanco and penicillin. In total she had 4 sores that month. the worst was in her inner thigh. They were all lanced at the dr's office and again I sanitized and cleaned everything in sight. With in days I noticed I had a sore as well. I was put on Ciprofloxacin for it and it cleared up with in 10 days. Meanwhile my sons cleared up (two sores on his face) and daughters was slowly but surely healing. The sore my daughter had was so bad its just barely clearing up. She still has a huge bruise from when it was lanced.

The new issue is that both my kids have had bad diarrhea for about a week now. They tested my daughters stool and it came back positive for C. Difficile infection. Her pediatrician believes it was caused by the Cleocin she was put on for the MRSA. My son also tested positive, Dr. says he contracted it from his sister. The problem is this. Last night I noticed a NEW sore on her arm. I can tell already it is MRSA. I hate seeing her in so much pain from all this and she's been through so many antibiotics I don't know what else to do. I have no idea why the MRSA has not been cleared. So far she is the only one with a sore. Her DR. instructed me to clean everything in the house again and did so last night. She's being put on Flagyl for the C. Difficile (250mg).

My questions are Will the Flagyl kill off the MRSA as well as the C. Difficile? Why does the MRSA keep coming back? What can I do to prevent further contaminations? My son and daughter share a bedroom...should I move him out of that bedroom (he is now 10 months old)? Please help me, i'm going nuts. I have had to put school on the back burner until my kids are healthy enough to go to daycare. Is my Dr. doing the right thing? or should she be hospitalized at this point?

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Specializes in ER, Urgent care, industrial, phone triag.

Dear Iwannabeanurse,

You are really having a time of it there in your household. I am so sorry for you and your frustrations with MRSA. It is pervasive whether it is in a hospital or at home.

Are you dealing with an infection disease doctor for these infections? Maybe they can help you with decolonizing your entire family. You are going round and round with MRSA and now with the C diff, which is probably an end result of all the necessary antibiotics for MRSA. You really need to consult a specialist and get on the right track of clearing this from your entire family.

Flagyll will not help MRSA. It is the first line drug used for C Diff.

You are in the midst of a MRSA nightmare, but families similar to yours have been helped to rid themselves of MRSA.

Good luck to you and your family.

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Thank you for your response.

I have set up an appointment to meet with the pediatrician that has been following both my kids cases. You're absolutely right about this being a nightmare. I'm going to ask him to get an Infectious Disease Doctor involved and see if maybe they can help.

My daughter has suffered from various types of infections being that she was born with an Omphalocele. Her body rejected the biological mesh used in her full closure surgery and resulted in a "Sterile Infection" which necesitated Infectious Disease to get involved. This is how we learned she's super sensitive to many antibiotics and some pain killers. She's allergic to Vanco, Morphine and Sulfa which makes it that much more challenging to treat her. Thank you for your input, I hadn't even thought of an Infectious Disease Dr but that makes perfect sense.

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Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

You are rightly following up with your pediatrician, who alone (or with other health care professionals in the group) can answer your questions and direct your childrens' care.

The members of this board, while knowledgeable, experienced and intelligent, are unable to dispense medical advice.

I suggest you make a list of your questions (and possibly a time line of events as well) for the pediatrician appointment, and do obtain clear answers.

I wish you and your family well, IWannaBe.

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