The emergence of infections with community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Recently there have been reports indicating an increased incidence of MRSA infections, afflicting individuals with no apparent risk factors for hospital acquisition. Patients with comm unity-associated (CA) MRSA are significantly younger and had different distributions of clinical infections compared with HA-MRSA patients. CA-MRSA infections have mostly been associated with staphylococcal strains bearing the SCCmec type IV element and PVL genes. These strains are more frequently susceptible to a variety of non-beta-tactam antibiotics. Clinicians must be aware of the wide and, in some cases, unique spectrum of disease caused by CA-MRSA. Continued emergence of MRSA in the community is a public-heatth problem that warrants increased vigilance in the diagnosis and management of suspected and confirmed staphytococcal infections. (c) 2005 The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.