Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a virulent and resistant type of Staphylococcus aureus. It’s commonly seen in some people’s nose, throat, mouth, genital area, and anus. It does not really cause any problem unless it enters the underlying tissue or blood. However, if you have MRSA then it can spread to other individuals even if it does not cause any problems in you. Some people with MRSA bacteria can be symptomatic and some are asymptomatic. If your immunity system is strong then it can fight off the infection, if your immune system is weak or if you are suffering from another disease then MRSA can attack your body.
What Are The Symptoms Of MRSA In The Nose?
Fever– This is a non-specific symptom, whenever there is an infection in the body the immune system reacts, and the thalamus which regulates the body temperature sets it to a higher temperature in order to help the immune system to fight off the infection. (1)
Pain Or Soreness– when the immune system acts on the infection it stimulates an inflammatory reaction which is the cause for the pain. This is the reason for the pain. In the nose, it can come as soreness rather than a pain. (1)
Swelling– Slight swelling around the nose can be seen sometimes, this is also one of the inflammatory reactions of the immune system to eliminate the infection.(1)
Redness– Redness around and inside the nose can be seen. This is also one of the inflammatory reactions of the immune system to eliminate the infection.
Light Bleeding (Epistaxis)- The nose has lots of blood vessels just below the skin in order to warm and increase the temperature of the air you breathe. With an infection of MRSA and the inflammatory reaction by the immune system can damage these blood vessels causing epistaxis. Studies have shown that epistaxis is seven times more common in people with Staphylococcus colonization than the people without Staphylococcus colonization. A study done in 2011 on random nasal secretion samples showed that haemoglobin in the nasal secretions contributed to the Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization. Same way it might contribute to the MRSA colonization as well.
Crusting– Through a breach in the nasal mucosa, the MRSA can infect the nose. Then the immune system reacts to resolve the infection and that result in a crust formation in a few days. This looks like a honey-yellow color crusting in the nose.
Lesions Oozing Pus Or Fluid– After the infection of MRSA in the nose, the immune system acts and healing of the wound occurs gradually. After the initial few days a crust is formed and then there will be fluid oozing from the wound and this fluid helps to clean the area. Sometimes this fluid is thick and yellow in color (pus) which contains the damaged cells, dead organisms, and other cellular debris, if large amounts are produced you will need to get proper treatment to drain the pus.
Causes Or Risk Factors For Nasal MRSA Infection
As we mentioned above many people roughly around 2% of the population have MRSA colonization in the nose. Then, how come some people get MRSA nasal infections and some will not? Well, the answer is some people are at increased risk or have certain causes that make them more vulnerable for MRSA nasal infections.(2) Like other areas any break in the nasal mucosa allows the MRSA to infect the nose.
Nasal mucosa can be breached by-
- Picking your nose
- Excessive nose blowing
- Nose piercing
- Plucking or tweezing the nose hairs.
Conclusion
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is avirulent and resistant type of Staphylococcus aureus. It is commonly seen in some people’s nose, throat, mouth, genital area, and anus. It does not really cause any problem unless it enters the body through a skin cut or wound. Some people are at increased risk or have certain causes that make them more vulnerable for MRSA nasal infections such as nose picking, excessive nose blowing, nose piercing and plucking or tweezing the nose hairs. The symptoms of nasal infection are fever, pain, redness, and swelling in and around the nose; light bleeding from the nose (epistaxis), crusting and oozing of pus and fluid from the nose.
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