MRSA Symptoms, Treatment Explained As Wrestler Jimmy Rave Loses Legs to Infection

Former wrestler Jimmy Rave has revealed that an MRSA infection in both of his legs has resulted in their amputation. The 38-year-old who wrestled for organizations like Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and New Japan Pro Wrestling, said in a Twitter post that after experiencing difficultly walking in June he visited doctors who discovered the infection and advised that his legs be immediately amputated. The wrestler, whose real name is James Guffey, lost his left arm to infection in October 2020, which forced him to end his 20-plus year wrestling career, Newsweek reported previously. What Is MRSA? According to the Mayo Clinic, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA is an infection caused by a type of staph bacteria that has become resistant to the antibiotics usually used to treat these types of infections. The antibiotics it resists include penicillins like amoxicillin and cephalosporins such as keflex.

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The Mayo Clinic adds that this resistance is the result of decades of unnecessary antibiotic use. "For years, antibiotics have been prescribed for colds, flu, and other viral infections that don't respond to these drugs," it says on its website. "Even when antibiotics are used appropriately, they contribute to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria because they don't destroy every germ they target. "Bacteria live on an evolutionary fast track, so germs that survive treatment with one antibiotic soon learn to resist others." The first recorded outbreak of MRSA occurred in a Boston hospital in 1968, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

What Are the Symptoms of MRSA and Who Can Get It?

Like most staph infections the first signs of MRSA are swollen red bumps on the skin that feel warm to the touch. The Mayo Clinic says that these bumps, which could look like spider bites or pimples, are usually filled with pus or other liquid and can be accompanied by a fever. These bumps can progress to painful and deep boils and abscesses and require draining. While the bacteria that cause MRSA often stay confined to the skin, the Mayo Clinic says that when it burrows into the body, MRSA can lead to potentially life-threatening infections in joints, bones, the heart, the lung, and the bloodstream. Other symptoms can include chills, malaise, dizziness, confusion, muscle pain, swelling and tenderness in the affected body part, chest pain, coughing, and breathlessness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that approximately 5 percent of patients in U.S. hospitals carry MRSA in their nose or on their skin. The CDC adds that while anyone can have MRSA, only some of the people who carry the bacteria will go on to develop the infection. MRSA is usually picked up by people during their stays in hospitals or other health care settings like nursing homes. The Mayo Clinic says that MRSA is often spread as the result of invasive procedures like surgeries or the placing of intravenous tubing, or artificial joints. The infection can also be spread by contact with health care workers with unclean hands. It can also be picked up by touching unclean surfaces. This is a less likely source of infection, however, because, as the Minnesota Department of Health points out, skin is usually an effective barrier against the infection. Another type of MRSA occurs in communities outside medical settings. This infection can spread as a result of skin-to-skin contact, with people who engage in activities like wrestling, child care, and living in crowded conditions particularly at risk. The CDC adds that anyone who spots what looks like a staph infection should seek medical advice, as early medical care makes serious infection less likely.

How Is MRSA Treated and Can the Risk Be Reduced?

Treatment for MRSA follows two different approaches, reducing bacteria at the site of infection, and antibiotic treatment with medicines that MRSA has not yet developed a resistance to. These treatments depend heavily on the severity and site of the MRSA infection. The CDC says that patients with MRSA can reduce the spread by caring of the wound and not picking at it or popping the sore. Washing hands regularly will help limit the spread of MRSA to family members and others as does limiting the sharing of personal items like toothbrushes, towels, clothing, and razors. For people without MRSA, the CDC suggests several ways of reducing the risk of developing the infection. This includes good personal hygiene, cleaning hands and the body regularly, especially after exercise. Keeping cuts, scrapes, and scratches covered is also a good way of preventing the bacteria from making their way past the skin. Thanking his supporters on October 22, Jimmy Rave last week posted what appeared to be his hospital bills totaling more than $100,000. He shared his PayPal and Cash App information for people who wish to contribute to his treatment. Figures throughout the wrestling industry have shared the post urging fans to support Rave, including former TNA, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) writer Vince Russo, wrestler Bam Sullivan, and former WWE wrestler Mick Foley who donated a shirt for auction.