According to the CDC, about 95,000 people in the United States developed serious MRSA infections in 2005. That's bad enough--but of late, the problem may have grown worse. Recently, doctors have noted an upsurge in MRSA cases among children, whose developing systems are poorly equipped to fight off the bug's attack.
The CDC figures don't note how many children were infected, but the agency did report that during an eight-year period ending in 2005, the greatest increase in hospital visits in that population were among those under 18. This worries doctors, who note that children are especially vulnerable because their immune systems aren't fully developed.
Researchers note that the increase in MRSA cases among children is part of a general trend toward community-acquired MRSA, which is popping up in gyms, schools and other locations where people have close physical contact.
To learn more about this trend:
- read this CNN.com piece
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