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Patient Education: Diseases Conditions Treatments & Procedures

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Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Introduction

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium frequently living on the skin of a healthy person.  The bacterium however can go on to cause illness ranging from minor skin infections to life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia.  The strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common bacterial pathogen resistant to antibiotics which means treatment options are limited.  MRSA is a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections, and also recently has emerged as an increasingly important cause of community-associated infections.