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MRSA Pneumonia Symptoms
In general, symptoms of MRSA are confined to the skin, appearing as a red bump, or several red bumps, that are often swollen, painful, tender, and warm. There may or may not be pus. In fact, these bumps are often mistaken for a pimple, pustule, or even a spider bite.
Although rare, this condition can become quite serious, even life-threatening. In such cases, MRSA may cause pneumonia or an infection of the bloodstream. If this infection leads to pneumonia, symptoms may include:
- A cough that produces green or yellow phlegm
- Chills
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain when breathing or coughing
- High fever.
Symptoms can vary from person to person, but tend to be more serious in newborns, the elderly, and people with already weakened immune symptoms. Whether the cause is MRSA or something else, pneumonia itself can lead to other complications, such as a lung abscess, bacteremia, or even loss of life.
(Click Pneumonia Symptoms and Signs to learn more about possible indicators of this disease, including signs that occur outside of the lungs, symptoms in different age groups, and other complications.)
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD