Health Care & MRSA

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, refers to s. aureus bacteria that are resistant to a variety of common antibiotics. MRSA infections are difficult to treat; hospitalized patients with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible.

Significance

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by 2004 an estimated 63 percent of staph infections were caused by MRSA bacteria. In 2005 there were more than 94,000 MRSA infections in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, MRSA infections are most common in patients who are or have recently been in a hospital or other health facility like a nursing home, although recently some strains of MRSA that cause infection in patients who are not hospitalized have emerged as well.

Theories/Speculation

• The origin and spread of MRSA are closely linked to several aspects of the modern healthcare system. According to the Mayo Clinic, the emergence of MRSA has been caused by overuse of antibiotics and the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics to treat viral infections. The CDC notes that MRSA often spreads from one patient to another in health care settings via health care workers' hands.

Prevention/Solution

• Isolating patients with MRSA infections in the hospital is one way to prevent transmission of MRSA. It's essential that health care workers sanitize their hands and follow appropriate procedures to keep equipment clean and sterile. Curbing the overuse of antibiotics will help to prevent the spread of MRSA and the emergence of more antibiotic-resistant strains.