Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
According to a Minnesota Department of Health Fact Sheet, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first noted in 1961. The first nosocomial outbreak in the United States occurred in 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts.
MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that can be found on some people’s skin or in their nose. For those who develop an infection, it is resistant to many antibiotics. Traditionally, MRSA infections have been associated with hospitalization or other health care-associated risk factors. However, in recent years, health care providers have observed MRSA infections in an increasing number of people who lack traditional health care-associated risk factors. These people appear to have community-associated (CA) infections.
The MDH goes on to report that CA-MRSA infections are defined as MRSA infections in people with no history of the following risk factors within the year prior to the MRSA culture date:
• Hospitalization or surgery
• Permanent indwelling catheters or percutaneous medical devices
• Residence in a long-term care facility
• Dialysis
• MRSA culture less than 48 hours after hospital admission
The agency also states that the majority of CA-MRSA infections present as skin and soft tissue infections such as abscesses or cellulitis, but they can also cause other skin conditions. In rare cases, CA-MRSA can cause invasive infections such as joint infections, necrotizing pneumonia or septicemia.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), MRSA is usually spread in the community by contact with infected people or things that are carrying the bacteria. Anyone can get MRSA and the risk increases with activities or places that involve crowding, skin-to-skin contact, and shared equipment or supplies. Aside from medical patients already receiving care that were the traditional populations considered at risk; athletes, daycare and school students, and military personnel in barracks are considered to be at higher risk of developing this type of infection.
These are just a few things to know about community-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. To learn more about this or other microbial, infection control, industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
According to a Minnesota Department of Health Fact Sheet, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first noted in 1961. The first nosocomial outbreak in the United States occurred in 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts.
MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that can be found on some people’s skin or in their nose. For those who develop an infection, it is resistant to many antibiotics. Traditionally, MRSA infections have been associated with hospitalization or other health care-associated risk factors. However, in recent years, health care providers have observed MRSA infections in an increasing number of people who lack traditional health care-associated risk factors. These people appear to have community-associated (CA) infections.
The MDH goes on to report that CA-MRSA infections are defined as MRSA infections in people with no history of the following risk factors within the year prior to the MRSA culture date:
• Hospitalization or surgery
• Permanent indwelling catheters or percutaneous medical devices
• Residence in a long-term care facility
• Dialysis
• MRSA culture less than 48 hours after hospital admission
The agency also states that the majority of CA-MRSA infections present as skin and soft tissue infections such as abscesses or cellulitis, but they can also cause other skin conditions. In rare cases, CA-MRSA can cause invasive infections such as joint infections, necrotizing pneumonia or septicemia.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), MRSA is usually spread in the community by contact with infected people or things that are carrying the bacteria. Anyone can get MRSA and the risk increases with activities or places that involve crowding, skin-to-skin contact, and shared equipment or supplies. Aside from medical patients already receiving care that were the traditional populations considered at risk; athletes, daycare and school students, and military personnel in barracks are considered to be at higher risk of developing this type of infection.
These are just a few things to know about community-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. To learn more about this or other microbial, infection control, industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
