Giants player, Daniel Fells infected with MRSA stemming from a a foot & ankle injury. What is MRSA? 

MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus, this is a form of staph aureus that is resistant to most common antibiotics such as penicillins, etc.   In general, bacterias become resistant from exposure to antibiotics in the past or they can obtain a gene through a virus or another bacteria that renders them untouchable by an antibiotic class.  MRSA used to be an uncommon strain during my medical and surgical training with vancomycin IV being the drug of choice.     

Two common subgroups: Hospital acquired or community acquired. 

Treatments for such:

• IV antibiotics like vancomcyin

• Orals such as tetracycline class, bactrim, zyvox, etc. 

• Surgical debridement

• removal of infected tissue and flushing out of infected tissue. 

Identification:

• Done through a culture of the bone, tissue, wound, drainage by your physician