title: Community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an emerging threat.
abstract: Community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is becoming an important public-health problem. New strains of S aureus displaying unique combinations of virulence factors and resistance traits have been associated with high morbidity and mortality in the community. Outbreaks of epidemic furunculosis and cases of severe invasive pulmonary infections in young, otherwise healthy people have been particularly noteworthy. We review the characteristics of these new strains of community-acquired MRSA that have contributed to their pathogenicity and discuss new approaches to the diagnosis and management of suspected and confirmed community-acquired MRSA infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231-1001, USA.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zetola
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Eric L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Nuermberger
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Bishai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D005667:Furunculosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents