While hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are nasty, a new MRSA strain emerging outside of hospitals is proving to be even more lethal. This newer MRSA strain, community-associated MRSA, is often spread in prisons and on athletic teams [1] , both of which bring people into close physical contact and involve sharing personal items like towels, soap or even water, says Richard Wenzel, president of the International Society for Infectious Disease. What really ought to worry healthcare professionals is that this deadlier MRSA strain has begun to spread into hospitals, Wenzel warns. Fortunately, simple expedients like hand-washing can cut the spread of MRSA within a hospital substantially--as 85 percent of infections are spread from patient to patient by healthcare workers--and isolating known MRSA patients helps too, Wenzel notes.

To learn more about this trend:
- read this United Press International piece [2]

Related Articles:
Study: MRSA infecting up to 5 percent of patients. Report [3]
VA program slashes MRSA infection rates. Report [4]
MRSA-CA danger to healthcare workers. Report [5]
Study: Disinfectant cuts down on MRSA. Report [6]