The Rise of Community Acquired MRSA

Yesterday the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases published a study detailing a rising health threat from of both types of drug-resistant staph inside U.S. hospitals.

 

Part of a project to fight antibiotic resistance called Extending the Cure, and funded by the Pioneer Portfolio, the study found a seven-fold increase in the proportion of "community-associated" strains of MRSA in outpatient hospital units between 1999 and 2006. "This emerging epidemic of community-associated MRSA strains appears to add to the already high MRSA burden in hospitals," said Ramanan Laxminarayan, Principal Investigator for Extending the Cure.

 

This study, which will help prompt researchers to find new ways to quickly test for various strains of MRSA and treat accordingly, has been getting a lot of press attention -- which is a good thing. We encourage you to check out the article and coverage at NPR’s Health Blog and let us know what you think about the study findings.   

 

If you are interested in seeing what else Extending the Cure is working on, make sure to check out their blog and twitter account.