However, in hospital this may not be the case as there will be many people around who have a number of conditions that would make them more likely to pick up MRSA and become ill with it. If treatment is thought necessary it will normally involve special antibiotic cream to put up the nose, plus regular antiseptic baths for about a week. Many people do clear themselves spontaneously but this may well take many months. It the MRSA is actually causing no illness then the laboratory will carry out tests to try and find an antibiotic that will work. Often there is one that will be effective but it is only used if really necessary in case the MRSA then becomes resistant to it as well.
Some people do die as a result of their infection.
There is no vaccine to protect against MRSA so prevention has to be aimed at stopping the spread from people who are colonised or infected. In a sideroom at first until screening swabs come back clear. It they are transferring a patient. Many hospitals in countries outside the UK have a significant problem with MRSA and patients who are admitted from one of these countries will often be isolated until the screening is clear. Despite this people are still going to be admitted to hospital with MRSA because they have no history of ever having a problem.