METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Course overview

BASED ON THE ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITIES, METHICILLIN RESISTANCE IN S. AUREUS IS DEFINED AS AN OXACILLIN MINIMUM INHIBITORY CONCENTRATION (MIC) OF GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO 4 MICROGRAMS/ML. MRSA INFECTION IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS AND IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT MORBIDITY, MORTALITY, LENGTH OF STAY, AND COST BURDEN. MRSA INFECTIONS CAN BE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO HOSPITAL-ASSOCIATED (HA-MRSA) INFECTIONS AND COMMUNITY-ASSOCIATED (CA-MRSA) INFECTIONS. THEY DIFFER NOT ONLY IN RESPECT TO THEIR CLINICAL FEATURES AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY BUT ALSO TO THEIR ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY AND TREATMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MRSA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT OF THIS CONDITION.