Healthcare-Associated
Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA)
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as
oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) who have weakened immune systems. These infections are typically invasive, occurring in a normally sterile part of the body (i.e. blood, bones).
Invasive MRSA in Arizona
ADHS has been tracking invasive MRSA infections since October, 2004.
In 2005 there were 1,432 invasive MRSA infections reported in Arizona. In
2006 there were 1,336 reported. These numbers only includes cases where a positive laboratory test identified the disease in a normally sterile part of the body, like the blood.
For more information about HA-MRSA, visit the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) site: MRSA
in Healthcare Settings.
Infection Control and MRSA
For more information on infection control for MRSA in healthcare
facilities, please see the following links:
[CDC] Management
of Drug-Resistant Organisms in Healthcare Settings, 2006
[PDF
233K]
[CDC] Guideline
for Isolation Precautions: Prevention Transmission of Infectious Agents in
Healthcare settings, 2007
For more information:
For Clinicians:
[ADHS] Clinician
Fact Sheet [PDF
49K]
Note:
Links marked by [PDF] require Acrobat Reader™ to view.
Links identified with [CDC] are maintained by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
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