Essential oils usually used in aromatherapy have been found to kill the deadly MRSA bacteria according to research carried out at The University of Manchester, UK.

Tests revealed that three essential oils killed MRSA and E. coli as well as many other bacteria and fungi within just two minutes of contact. The oils can easily be blended and made into soaps and shampoos which could be used by hospital staff, doctors and patients in a bid to eradicate the spread of these deadly `super bugs’. 

More research is needed- however, and since essential oils are natural plant products, the inability to patent them like a manufactured drug makes pharmaceutical companies hesitant to fund research into their effictiveness.  Read more in Medical News Today

MRSA exists in the air and colinizes in the sinuses and sometimes on the skin of certain people.  It is resistant to antibiotics.  Researchers says now that it can spread in the same way as aids- only much more exaggerated sicne it is also airborne.

How to prevent it or start getting a handle on it? MRSA Watch has much information including these tips:

How can it be prevented
The media often focus on clean hospitals and clean hands as a key to combating MRSA. Others believe that this will only cut cases by 30% and that a diverse strategy is vital and will include:

• Clean Wards – especially surfaces and keyboards.
• Staff Screening – are they super carriers?
• Patient Screening – so that they can be de colonised and to avoid self infection.
• Hospital Equipment – because it can take the infection deep into a wound.
• Air Hygiene – to help prevent nasal colonisation
• Hand Hygiene – to prevent transport from patient to patient
• Antibiotic Restraint – because resistance grows from over prescription
• The Food Chain – is resistance also provoked by over use in the animals that we eat?
• Patient Isolation – this helps lesson the potential risk of airborne infection
• Lifestyle Choices – needle injected drugs and multiple sexual partners help spread chronic illnesses that emerge slowly

Some ideas include:

• Reducing antibiotics in food animals…. in Australia this was shown to reduce resistant bacteria in people. 
• Use essential oils rather than commercial anti-bacterial soaps- just add the oils to a safe soap base (shower gel from Young Living is made entirely of ingredients you could eat!- don’t though it does not taste good.  Those commercial ones have sweet propylene glycol in them, which can damage the kidneys, this does not.)  Thieves essential oil blend is powerful and a whole line of cleaning and oral care products is available. www.ultimateantiseptics.com
• Diffuse essential oils to clean the air. (This has been successful in protecting nursing employees from MRSA in nursing homes.)
• Use essential oils, silver bandages, and other techinques in wound dressing.
• Disinfect keyboards with Thieves spray or a blend that you make yourself.  Be sure to use only Therapeutic Quality oils you want a therapeutic result, not just a smell.  Smells can be produced in a laboratory- like a plug-in air “freshner”.
• Rinse the sinuses with a neti pot or hydrofloss machine and a salt water mixture containing oils.  See the article on sinus.               Order this salt mixture here.
• Learn to protect your family by giving them Raindrop Technique treatments at home.  Check for classes locally for professionals and “Mommies”
• Keep immune system strong by assuring correct spinal allignment and eliminate junk foods that create acid body.
• Do not rush to the doctor for antibiotics when you or your child gets the sniffles!

STAY AWARE!  Become infomed!   Mutations are occuring at an alarming rate due to vaccines, and over use of antibiotics. 

If you are interested in helping to fund research, please post a comment and contact me, we can figure out how to accomplish research on natural therapies!