What is community acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA)?
Methicillin-resistant S. aureus has been recognized since the 1960s. Initially this pathogen was predominantly found in hospitalized patients, but community acquired MRSA infections were also recognized. In the 1990s, CA-MRSA was increasingly reported in patients without healthcare related risk factors. CA-MRSA has become an increasingly common infection, accounting for 35-50% of staphylococcal isolates in some geographic areas. Because the mechanism of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics is altered in CA-MRSA, the antibiotic susceptibility patterns differ from healthcare-associated MRSA.
