Recurrent MRSA skin infection

[melthread]

Hey everyone, thanks for reading. I look forward to your responses!

My boyfriend is a 31 year old white male. He got this MRSA skin infection last October (thought initially to be a spider bite). He was covered in these large red sores on his legs, stomach, face, arms. Eventually these painful red sores would come to a head and would contain about a marble size of green pus and blood. I hope nobody is eating right now!! He was started on antibiotics and the infection cleared. 4-5 days later, it started again. Then another round of oral antibiotics. 4-5 days later, again. Then vanc. Same thing. Then zyvox (linezolid). Same. Then Cubicin (new IV - daptomycin) for 14 days, followed immediately by minocycline for 2-3 months. Treatment went well but he started getting "spots" early on with minocycline and by 2.5 months, was almost covered in them again. The doctor stopped his antibiotics, and he got sick again. Now he is back on Cubicin IV every day.

What do we do???? He uses the antiotic cream, takes meds very regularly, does everything he can to stop the infection. Every time he stops his meds, within 4-5 days, he is reinfected.

We have seen 2 separate ID dr's who have been caring for him, but he is still sick. Where do we go? Does anyone have ideas of research centers in the DFW metroplex?

Yes, they've done a full immune workup, but nothing there.

Please help. We are quite literally out of options.

[besafe20]

Let me tell you my family and I have been through this ordeal. Sounds like your boyfriend has a really severe case though. My dad started with this and got boils all over. He got treated and then they came back. He would have it happen again and again every few months. Finally he got some so bad that they had to hospitalize him as they were deep on his stomach. After he got an IV in with the right medicine they cleared up and have not been back since. My brother, me, and my mom have caught it also. My mom and brother have only had one or two boils ever. I was having more problems than them. I had recurrences. The doctors werent much help so I put bactroban in my nostrils twice a day for 6 months and I seem to be better now. We will see if it comes back. I dont know why the medicine isnt keeping it at bay for at least a few months. I hope he gets the treatment he needs to get rid of this nasty bug.

[melthread]

Thanks so much for your support. Unfortunately, there aren't any "stronger" antibiotics than the ones he has been on. He has this overwhelming fear that he is going to die a horrible painful death since he can't live without IV antibiotics. It just seems so hopeless....and he's so young!

I have also had 2 spots a long time ago, but they healed on their own. I, too, did the mupirocin up my nose thing, too. It doesn't seem like anything prevents this frequent recurrences, other than staying on IV antibiotics.

Thanks again for your support. It helps to know there are others who have struggled with this too!

[emilysgk]

I am battling MRSA myself at the moment and it appears that I am not infecion free yet. I have been on vanco for 3 weeks and will be having a CT next tue, because in my case though being on the proper med the infection has went to a neighboring area even on treatment......Thats another subject.

The only thing I have learned so far is that even with proper treatment its very hard to be rid of completely. I think his courses are not long enough. I was originally put down for 2 weeks, which is the norm to start with. But with our suspicions we decided to continue treatemnt. In his has everytime it comes back you are completely starting again. The longer he continues with this, the more resistant it will become. I believe he should have a 4-6 weeks course of one of the meds, I dont know much about the new MRSA antibiotics that he has been on, but know that with Vanco its very common to remain on it for courses of this nature. I assume they cultured his spots in the past, but have they done it again at all? Though extremely rare, there is VRSA, which is resistant to event he vanco. I dont know what they do if it turns out to be that. Anyways, just a few thoughts. I really hope you can figure this out soon. It really sucks being on so many meds and IV's and the like. I been doing this off and on for nearly a year now. (I only developed MRSA in the beginning of April though)

[KatherineIrene]

Originally Posted by besafe20

My brother, me, and my mom have caught it also. .

My dad was just diagnosed with MRSA. The hospital has assured us that the MRSA is contained in his surgery wound and we are not at risk of infection. Can you pass MRSA with casual contact and is it every airborne??