Worry over MRSA infects nation
Nicola McQuiston
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: News
Infection rates of the now infamous methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain of staph in community associated settings are much higher in the United States than previously imagined, according to a study recently published by the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Findings of this study, which have sparked hysterical media coverage nationwide, show that this bacterial infection, found 85 percent of the time in healthcare settings, has become more prevalent in community settings unrelated to healthcare.
Fear of this bacterium arises from the fact that it is more difficult to treat, compared to other staphylococcal infections, due to a resistance against methicillin, as well as other antibiotics traditionally used to combat the infection. However, more powerful antibiotics suffice.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention found the number of infected persons for 2005 to be approximately 94,360. In that year, there were 18,650 deaths related to MRSA infections.
More recently, the strain has emerged from healthcare settings, where peoples' immune systems are habitually weaker, into the community setting. Outbreaks have been discovered among sports teams, in prisons, and in schools, which tend to be breeding grounds for communicable disease.
The upsurge in recent media coverage has prompted many medical organizations to publish information pertaining to the infection and educate people about the true threats of MRSA.
Patricia Oswald, certified nurse practitioner for the Loyola College Health Center, raises awareness to appease the fears of students concerned about MRSA.
"This bacterium has been around for 20 years, it just stayed in hospitals. Now, within the past five years, we're seeing it outside of hospitals," she says.
Staph cases in general have been found for years, according to a fact sheet released by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. One in three people carries the staphylococcus bacteria, which is commonly found on the skin and in the nose.
Findings of this study, which have sparked hysterical media coverage nationwide, show that this bacterial infection, found 85 percent of the time in healthcare settings, has become more prevalent in community settings unrelated to healthcare.
Fear of this bacterium arises from the fact that it is more difficult to treat, compared to other staphylococcal infections, due to a resistance against methicillin, as well as other antibiotics traditionally used to combat the infection. However, more powerful antibiotics suffice.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention found the number of infected persons for 2005 to be approximately 94,360. In that year, there were 18,650 deaths related to MRSA infections.
More recently, the strain has emerged from healthcare settings, where peoples' immune systems are habitually weaker, into the community setting. Outbreaks have been discovered among sports teams, in prisons, and in schools, which tend to be breeding grounds for communicable disease.
The upsurge in recent media coverage has prompted many medical organizations to publish information pertaining to the infection and educate people about the true threats of MRSA.
Patricia Oswald, certified nurse practitioner for the Loyola College Health Center, raises awareness to appease the fears of students concerned about MRSA.
"This bacterium has been around for 20 years, it just stayed in hospitals. Now, within the past five years, we're seeing it outside of hospitals," she says.
Staph cases in general have been found for years, according to a fact sheet released by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. One in three people carries the staphylococcus bacteria, which is commonly found on the skin and in the nose.
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