MRSA & sex

Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2011

mrsa of what exactly? mrsa isnt an STD, and basic hygiene would cover most situations... who rubs their mrsa filled wound on their sex partner... and if it is colonized in the pts nose, Im sure that they will be fine, provided there is no crazy sexual things involved with his nose. Interesting the doc had no answer. ~Ivanna

edit to add: a good occlusive dressing whilst interacting where affected areas may touch.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2011

There's a reason that patients with MRSA are on contact precautions in the hospital. MRSA can be spread like a cold virus can. So if you rub your nose, touch a siderail and the nurse comes in, touches the side rail and rubs her eye, she can ger MRSA too. So during sex, breathing on each other might be enough to spread the infection. You can also have MRSA colonization in the groin.

The fact is that when patients are diagnosed with MRSA in the hospital, most are just put on contact precautions and then sent home. But it is possible to treat and decolonize patients so that they no longer test positive and can't pass it to others.

Mike R, ADN, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2011

The fact is that when patients are diagnosed with MRSA in the hospital, most are just put on contact precautions and then sent home.

This. But is anyone really going to glove and gown up when they have sex? Wear a face mask if in the nares? Haha, I'd like to see anyone try. It's more than likely going to be spread without aggressive ABX. Just hope the infected or the soon to be infected doesn't have any open sores or wounds or is immunocompromised. After working only 3 years in the acute care setting myself, I bet I'm crawling with MRSA. I'm gonna to take a shower now.....

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2011

This. But is anyone really going to glove and gown up when they have sex? Wear a face mask if in the nares? Haha, I'd like to see anyone try. It's more than likely going to be spread without aggressive ABX. Just hope the infected or the soon to be infected doesn't have any open sores or wounds or is immunocompromised. After working only 3 years in the acute care setting myself, I bet I'm crawling with MRSA. I'm gonna to take a shower now.....

Of course not. That was my point about pts needing to be treated. Active MRSA requires abx treatment. FOr colonized MRSA, the treatments is the application of Bactroban, a nasal ointment, twice a day x 5 days. Then the patient is retested. If the retest is still positive, it's Bactroban for another 5 days. If it's still positive, the patient gets baths with chlorahexidine solution twice daily for five days. However in my experience, most people test negative after the first round of Bactroban.

MunoRN, RN · Aug 18, 2011

Of course not. That was my point about pts needing to be treated. Active MRSA requires abx treatment. FOr colonized MRSA, the treatments is the application of Bactroban, a nasal ointment, twice a day x 5 days. Then the patient is retested. If the retest is still positive, it's Bactroban for another 5 days. If it's still positive, the patient gets baths with chlorahexidine solution twice daily for five days. However in my experience, most people test negative after the first round of Bactroban.

Attempts at decolonization of MRSA is not considered to be good practice. The colonization will return but can return even more resistant. Nasal bactroban is indicated for cardiothoracic surgery patients but not others. Decolonization attempts can be appropriate if the patient is immunocompromised or if the patient is at particularly high risk for being a vector such as with dementia patients.

Mike R, ADN, BSN, RN · Aug 18, 2011

Of course not. That was my point about pts needing to be treated.

I was agreeing with you. The whole thing was directed at the OP, not you