More Americans are developing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections from common, relatively minor foot problems such as cuts, cracks in the skin, athlete’s foot and ingrown toenails, according to information presented today at the 67th annual scientific conference of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).
Infection control is a focus of discussion at this week’s meeting, with foot and ankle surgeons noting an increase in community-associated MRSA infections.
“If you have a cut or a scrape that gets infected and it’s not healing in a timely fashion, don’t hesitate to get it checked out,” says Karl Collins, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle surgeon in St. Louis. Collins said he has diagnosed community-associated MRSA infections in patients with athlete’s foot and even a 6-year-old who stubbed his toe.
Brandi Johnson, DPM, AACFAS, estimates treating 20 patients for community-associated MRSA in 2008. The Brandon, Fla., foot and ankle surgeon says half of those patients had infected ingrown toenails. Puncture wounds, pedicures and cuts from glass and seashells caused the rest of the infections.
One of Johnson’s patients was a teenage boy who waited months before seeing a doctor for an infected ingrown toenail. After the boy’s primary care doctor referred him to Johnson, she ran several tests. Results showed a community-associated MRSA infection. Even worse, it had spread to bone in the teen’s big toe. He recovered after six weeks of intravenous antibiotics.
