Helpful Information on MRSA Infections
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also known as "staph." In addition to methicillin, this infection is resistant to common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities. MRSA can be fatal if left untreated.

MRSA infections that occur in otherwise healthy people who have not been recently (within the past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis, surgery, catheters) are known as community-associated (CA)-MRSA infections. These infections are usually skin infections, such as abscesses, boils, and other pus-filled lesions.

Staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a wound. Even when this occurs, if the person is healthy it tends to only cause a skin infection. Those most susceptible to more serious illness include the elderly, the sick and others with wekened immune systems.

The estimated number of people developing a serious MRSA infection (i.e., invasive) in 2005 was about 94,360; this is higher than estimates using other methods. Approximately 18,650 persons died during a hospital stay related to these serious MRSA infections.

About 85% of all invasive MRSA infections were associated with healthcare, and of those, about two-thirds occurred outside of the hospital, while about one third occurred during hospitalization. About 14% of all the infections occurred in persons without obvious exposures to healthcare.

For more information on how to prevent MRSA, please visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_prevention.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_prevention.html