Teen contracts MRSA staph infection from piercing

Tools

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: May 8, 2008 at 1:53 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 8, 2008 at 1:53 PM EDT

A Missouri teenager is clinging to life after trying to pierce his own lip.

The high school freshman used an unsterilized needle at home, and now has the MRSA virus — a drug-resistant staph infection.

Within days of the piercing, the teen became achy and developed sores on his feet and hands.

Doctors say the MRSA virus had spread through his blood stream.

"If MRSA gets into the bloodstream, you're talking about infection on the heart valves, pneumonia, into the bone that may require surgical intervention,” said Dr. Robyn Livingston with Children’s Mercy Hospital.

The teen has had six blood transfusions as well as three knee and two hip surgeries.

He asked his parents to spread the message of what he has learned from his painful experience.

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