Prostate Cancer Screening
Newborn Screening
The Thromboelastogram
Community-acquired MRSA
Diagnostic Utility of Skin Biopsy
Diagnosis of Sepsis
Osteoporosis in Men
Oral Anticoagulant Therapy
Patient with Allergy
Cytology
Role of Vancomycin
Estimated average glucose
Fungitell Option 2
Evolving role of Troponins
Aspirin Resistance
Tumor Markers
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Swine Influenza
Syphillis
Hereditary Haemochromatosis
Haematological Changes in HIV
Influence of HIV
Drug induced liver injury
Alcohol Abuse
HPV testing in woman
Intravenous immunoglobulins
Death certification
Breat Cancer Month
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange
Bedroom Zoonoses

Community

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PATHCHAT NO 4: COMMUNITY ACQUIRED METHICILLIN - RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (CS-MRSA) INVECTIONS:  AN OVERVIEW

Introduction

The first methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain was isolated in the UK in1961. MRSA refers to S. aureus strains that are resistant to all the beta-lactam antibiotics currently in use, namely the penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems. Since the 1970s, this organism has emerged as a major nosocomial pathogen. These healthcare associated or hospital acquired strains (HA-MRSA) have, through a variety of different mechanisms, acquired resistance to other classes of antibiotics as well, which include aminoglycosides, quinolones and macrolide antibiotics. The distinction between health associated and hospital aquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) is epidemiological: while the strains are the same from a molecular perspective, they carry the same resistance genes and are of the same clonal types in origin. The reason for such a distinction is that certain patients e.g. dialysis patients may acquire these strains through contact with the health care system (often while attending dialysis units situated inside a hospital) while technically not being admitted to hospital. In order for it to be classified hospital-acquired (nosocomially) per definition, acquisition should have occurred 48 hrs after admission. The risk factors for the acquisition of HA-MRSA are well known, and include prolonged hospitalisation, renal dialysis, indwelling catheters and central lines, endotracheal tubes and intravenous (IV) drug abuse.

CA-MRSA

In 1999, four pediatric deaths were described in Minnesota and North Dakota from MRSA infections, and none of these children had any of the established risk factors for MRSA infection. It was subsequently discovered that MRSA strains isolated from these patients appeared to be different from typical nosocomial strains both phenotypically and genotypically. Since then multiple studies have shown the increasing prevalence worldwide of these community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections in healthy people without typical risk factors for acquiring MRSA.

 

 

 

 

 

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