Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Epidemiology and potential virulence factors

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been isolated from patients in the community. Some of these strains may have origins in the hospital, but others appear to be novel and unrelated to known hospital strains. Community MRSA strains have several distinguishing characteristics that may enable them to more readily colonize and infect otherwise healthy individuals. This article reviews recent publications addressing the epidemiology of MRSA in the community, risk factors associated with carriage, potentially associated virulence factors, and concepts of strain fitness as they pertain to MRSA. MRSA likely will be an increasingly important pathogen in the community.

Designing plasmas for chronic wound disinfection

“…Population duplication time (generation time) for most known bacteria ranges from 15 min to 1 h. For example, generation time of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, one of the most frequent and problematic pathogens of chronic wounds, is 24-30 min [16]. Due to the short generation time, bacteria Dynamics of bacterial density in LB medium after plasma irradiation.…”

Public computer surfaces are reservoirs for methicillin-resistant staphylococci

“…The prevalence of bacterial infections in humans is increasing (Eguia and Chambers, 2003;Weber, 2005) and has been shown to result in part from transmission of pathogens from the hospital setting to the community and vice versa (Eguia and Chambers, 2003;Hidron et al, 2005;Lescure et al, 2006). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a significant nosocomial infectious threat, prompting several studies that have identified MRSA reservoirs in the hospital setting including bed rails, countertops, floors, bed linens, tables and blood pressure cuffs (Boyce et al, 1997;Blythe et al, 1998).…”

Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Zürich, Switzerland (2003): Prevalence of Type IV SCC mec and a New SCC mec Element Associated with Isolates from Intravenous Drug Users

“…Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections and has also recently established itself as a significant community-acquired pathogen (7,9). Community-onset MRSA (cMRSA) differs from nosocomial MRSA in that it does not generally belong to the major clonal groups of epidemic MRSA, is susceptible to most non-␤-lactam antibiotics, contains the type IV SCCmec (for staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec, the mobile genetic element encoding methicillin resistance), and frequently carries genes responsible for the production of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) (13,22,26).…”