U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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How common are staph and MRSA infections?
Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infection in the United States and are a common cause of pneumonia, surgical wound infections, and bloodstream infections. The majority of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infections occur among patients in hospitals or other healthcare settings; however, it is becoming more common in the community setting.
In 2010, encouraging results from a CDC study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Association) showed that invasive (life-threatening) MRSA infections in healthcare settings are declining. Invasive MRSA infections that began in hospitals declined 28% from 2005 through 2008. Decreases in infection rates were even bigger for patients with bloodstream infections. In addition, the study showed a 17% drop in invasive MRSA infections that were diagnosed before hospital admissions (community onset) in people with recent exposures to healthcare settings.
This study (or report) complements data from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) that found rates of MRSA bloodstream infections occurring in hospitalized patients fell nearly 50% from 1997 to 2007.
Learn More:
- MRSA (MedlinePlus)
- Data & Statistics for MRSA (CDC)
Last Reviewed: 07/07/2011
