MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

MRSA has been featured in the news and on television programs a great deal recently. MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This type of bacteria causes “staph” infections that are resistant to treatment with usual antibiotics.

MRSA occurs most frequently among patients who undergo invasive medical procedures or who have weakened immune systems and are being treated in hospitals and healthcare facilities such as nursing homes and dialysis centers.  

Recently health officials have reported a growing number of MRSA cases in schools, gyms and day care centers.  It appears that the risk of Staph infections are no longer confined to nursing homes and hospitals.   

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.

For more information on Staph Infections click on the links below. To listen to a Podcast from the CDC on MRSA click on the Sound file.

Links:

Schools in Several States Report Staph Infections, and Deaths Raise the Alarm - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/us/19staph.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=education&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

CDC Q & A about Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Schools - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools/

CDC Info Page on: Healthcare-Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA)   http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa.html