Posted: 02/09/09
Affordable student health insurance has always made managing routine care and common illness much easier, but the need for such a plan is becoming increasingly important with the increasing incidences of the dangerous infection MRSA contracted in community settings. Short for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA is a skin and soft tissue infection that is resistant to most antibiotics. The Superbug was once only seen in hospitals, but recently has been spread in community areas where items are shared or individuals are in close contact - such as day care for young children, high school and college sports locker rooms, prisons and military facilities.
Common risk factors for spreading MRSA are sharing towels, soap and other personal items, inadequate care of skin wounds, and crowded living conditions. Maintaining high hygiene standards and clean facilities are the first steps to curbing the spread of MRSA.
MRSA typically causes abscesses or areas of inflammation on the skin, though in some cases it can also lead to more serious problems such as pneumonia and blood infection. In all cases, quick treatment of MRSA is vital to keep the infection from worsening. Treatment can be expensive, which makes affordable student health insurance a valuable commodity.
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