Healthcare-Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA)

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Prevent MRSA Skin Infections

Overview of Healthcare-associated MRSA

Go to Community-Associated 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.

MRSA infections that occur in otherwise healthy people who have not been recently (within the past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis, surgery, catheters) are known as community-associated (CA)-MRSA infections. These infections are usually skin infections, such as abscesses, boils, and other pus-filled lesions. (see Community-associated MRSA. )

Background/General Information



Date last modified: April 15, 2009
Content source: 
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP)

National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases (NCPDCID)