The bacterium Staphyloccus aureus (staph) normally resides on skin and in noses, and typically infects tissues through cuts or rashes. Those infections can remain minor, or lead to illnesses ranging from boils or abscesses to necrotizing skin infections, pneumonia and sometimes bloodstream infections.
Previously, scientists have categorized staph into two main types: antibiotic resistant (MRSA), and methicillin-susceptible Staphyloccus aureus (MSSA), which can be treated by antibiotics in the penicillin or related groups. Previously, MRSA infections were usually restricted to hospital or healthcare-associated infections. This is clearly no longer the case.
“We have seen an explosion of community-acquired MRSA infections among the urban patient populations served by the Grady Health System,” noted Dr Henry Blumberg, senior author of the study and professor of medicine and program director of the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine. “Community-acquired MRSA infections are no longer restricted to certain risk groups but appear to be widespread in the Atlanta community.”
The study demonstrated that 72% of community-onset Staph skin and soft tissue infections among patients receiving care at the Grady Health System (Grady Memorial Hospital and its affiliated outpatient clinics in Atlanta) are now due to MRSA. The vast majority of these MRSA skin and soft tissue infections are due to a single clone or strain of MRSA called USA300.
The report authors say, “Empirical use of antibiotics active against community-acquired MRSA is warranted, especially for patients presenting with serious skin and soft-tissue infections.” This represents a major change in prescribing practices for community-onset skin and soft tissue infections.
Dr Blumberg and his fellow researchers are now conducting follow-up studies at Grady Memorial Hospital and in the community, and hope other scientists might implement clinical trials to definitively determine which antibiotic agents work best for the treatment of community acquired MRSA infections.