title: MRSA: treating people with infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has a gene that makes it resistant to methicillin as well as to other beta-lactam antibiotics including flucloxacillin, beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. MRSA can be part of the normal body flora (colonisation), especially in the nose, but it can cause infection, especially in people with prolonged hospital admissions, with underlying disease, or after antibiotic use. About 20% of S aureus in blood cultures in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is resistant to methicillin.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of treatment for MRSA infections at any body site? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to November 2009 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 11 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: clindamycin, daptomycin, fusidic acid, glycopeptides (teicoplanin, vancomycin), linezolid, macrolides (azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin), quinolones (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin), quinupristin-dalfopristin, pristinamycin, rifampicin, tetracyclines (doxycycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline), tigecycline, trimethoprim, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole).
authors.affiliation: Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: Dilip
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nathwani
authors.forename: Peter Garnet
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Charis Ann
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marwick
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; D014640:Vancomycin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination