Who typically gets staph or MRSA infections?
Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among those in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes or dialysis centers) with weakened immune systems. Staph and MRSA can also cause infections in persons outside of hospitals and healthcare facilities. MRSA infections in those who have not been recently hospitalized (in the past year) or had a medical procedure (dialysis, surgery, catheters) is referred to as CA-MRSA infection (CA: community-acquired). MRSA infections in the community are usually manifested as skin infections such as pimples or boils, and occur in otherwise healthy people. How common are staph and MRSA infections? Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infection in the United States and commonly cause pneumonia, surgical wound infections, and bloodstream infections. MRSA most commonly occurs among patients in hospitals or other healthcare settings but is becoming more common in the community setting. What does a staph or MR
