title: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a review.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common bacterial pathogen responsible for a variety of infections in both children and adults. Treatment of infections caused by this organism is problematic due to its resistance to many drugs. Recent reports of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections in patients with no known risk factors have serious public health implications. Therapeutic options for these infections are untested; therefore, the potential exists for high morbidity and mortality. Recently, clinical definitions have been established, and new molecular approaches have allowed investigators to distinguish CA-MRSA more easily from traditional nosocomial-derived MRSA strains. Identifying potential risk factors for CA-MRSA acquisition and fully characterizing the epidemiologic, clinical, and molecular properties of these strains are necessary to provide effective therapeutic guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. m.rybak@wayne.edu
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rybak
authors.forename: Kerry L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: LaPlante
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents