Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics like penicillin and methicillin are given the name MRSA. This disease used to be confined primarily to healthcare facilities like hospitals and nursing homes. However, community-acquired MRSA has become more common, making this a serious public-health concern.
Some people are more likely to acquire this disease than others. For example, the following factors can make a person more susceptible to a MRSA infection in the community:
- Crowding
- Frequent skin-to-skin contact
- Compromised skin (cuts or abrasions)
- Contaminated items and surfaces
- Lack of cleanliness.
Because the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are impervious to the effects of methicillin, tests will be conducted to determine what kinds of antibiotics may work to treat this disease. In 2002, physicians in the United States documented the first S. aureus strains resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin (Vancocin®), which had been one of the last treatment options available.
Although it is feared that this could quickly become a major issue in antibiotic resistance, thus far, vancomycin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus are still rare at this time.
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