Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA): Molecular background,virulence,and relevance for public health

Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococcus (cons) are frequently found in nosocomial environments as the main pathogen in several infections. in 1961,reports of nosocomial s. aureus resistant to methicillin,the drug of choice against penicillin-resistant strains,required new alternatives and vancomycin started being used to treat infections caused by methicillin-resistant s. aureus (mrsa). community-acquired methicillin-resistant s. aureus (ca-mrsa) was first reported in 1990 affecting patients without risk factors for infection with mrsa of hospital origin. mrsa of community origin harbor the genes responsible for the synthesis of panton-valentine leukocidin (pvl),a toxin associated with skin and soft tissue infections and that carries the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (sccmec) type iv. ca-mrsa emergence has caused great impact on the worldwide medical community since the presence of this pathogen in patients without risk factors represents a high risk to public health. © cevap 2011.