Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics, including penicillin and related drugs. It is usually treatable, however, with other antibiotics. MRSA was first identified in the United States in 1968 and is carried in the nose or on the skin by about 1% of people.
Previously, most recognized cases of MRSA were diagnosed in healthcare settings, such as hospitals. In recent years, MRSA has been diagnosed more frequently in persons who are not in the hospital when diagnosed, and have not been recently hospitalized. In addition, outbreaks of MRSA have been reported in the United States in certain groups, such as persons participating in team sports, in children attending schools or daycares together, in military recruits, inmates of jails or prisons, and men who have sex with men.
MRSA is a type of bacteria commonly called “Staph.” Staph bacteria are carried in the nose or on the skin of about 1 in 3 persons, and in most persons, they cause no harm. Sometimes, however, they can cause infection. Most staph infections, including MRSA infections, are skin infections, which usually clear up with good care and proper coverage of the infected area, and may require antibiotics.
Previously, although individual healthcare facilities in Idaho track MRSA, no statewide tracking was done by the public health officials. However, local public health workers were able to assist persons with questions about MRSA and give advice to schools, long-term care facilities, and other institutions. In 2008, the legislature approved making invasive MRSA a reportable disease and approved mandating certain restrictions in certain settings, such as schools and daycares.