MRSA can cause many other symptoms, because it can infect the urinary tract or the bloodstream.
Very rarely, staph can result in necrotizing fasciitis, or "flesh-eating" bacterial infections. These are serious skin infections that spread very quickly. While frightening, only a handful of necrotizing fasciitis cases has been reported.
Call Your Doctor About MRSA If:
You have signs of active infection; in most cases, MRSA is easily treated. However, MRSA infection can be serious so seek medical care.
If you are already being treated for an infection, watch for signs that your medicine isn't working. If you are taking an antibiotic, call your health care provider if:
The infection is no better after three or four days
The infection keeps getting worse
You develop a fever, or your fever gets worse
People who are ill or have a compromised immune system have a higher risk of getting serious MRSA infections. If you have a condition that lowers your immunity, call your doctor right away if you think that you might have an infection.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The American Academy of Family Physicians.
Capriotti, T. Dermatology Nursing, Jan. 26, 2004.
Johnson, L. Infections in Medicine, 2005.
WebMD Feature: "Drug-Resistant Staph Spreads Across U.S."