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MRSA increasingly found in non-hospital settings

Infection Control Monitor, July 16, 2004

Hospitals aren't the only places a drug-resistant superbug is showing up, Reuters reports.

Physicians say that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is showing up in places it has never been seen before. Usually found in hospitals, it has surfaced in jails, and as a skin disease among children and sports participants in some regions of the country. A number of factors have been associated with outbreaks, including sharing contaminated sports equipment and a lack of hygiene.

Commonly, MRSA takes the form of an abscess or boil and is usually treated with penicillin-based antibiotics. The best treatment for MRSA in hospitals is an intravenous antibiotic called vancomycin. But the newer community-acquired MRSA responds to several antibiotics, including the brand Bactrim.

Statistics indicate that MRSA makes up a significant number of all diagnosed staph infections. Health experts have concluded that improper use of antibiotics may be a factor in the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria.

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