Community-Acquired MRSA Infections on the Rise in the Mid-Atlantic

Sept. 12, 2011 - PRLog -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics known as beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin. In the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections.

Last month, Time Magazine published a story about the rise of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in children across the nation.  The article cited a new medical report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality highlighting that in 2009, skin infections resulted in 71,900 children hospital admissions. The data illustrated that skin infection hospitalization rates have increased from 4.5 cases per 10,000 children in 2000 to 9.4 cases in 2009.  This remarkable increase now ranks skin infections as the 7th most common cause for children’s hospitalizations.

Traditionally, MRSA infections were associated with healthcare acquired infections (HAIs).  In recent years there has been a growing trend of these potentially deadly infections coming from the community.  According to the Delaware Health Statistics Center (DHSC), “The number of MRSA discharges in Delaware hospitals more than tripled from 2000 to 2005, with a 64% increase from 2004 to 2005.”  Several years ago, JAMA estimated that community-acquired MRSA infections accounted for 14% of all MRSA infections in 2005.

“What we have been witnessing is an increase in community-acquired MRSA that can be linked to places that people congregate,” reported Susan White, Ph.D., CMC, President of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants (SEHC), a leading Mid-Atlantic indoor air quality (IAQ) and infection control consulting firm.      “Schools, correctional facilities and athletic facilities are often at the top of the list.  These infections can lead to not only serious illness in infected individuals, but also increased absenteeism, lost productivity and huge medical costs.  Fortunately there are preventive measures that can be put in high risk places to help prevent the spread of MRSA and other infectious microbial agents.  There are also affordable surface testing procedures that can be implemented to proactively identify the organism, pinpoint areas that have not received appropriate sanitation and cleaning, or help identify the source of an outbreak,”  she continued.

SEHC recently cosponsored a public outreach video about MRSA that can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf1Zn3t-A5U



To learn more about preventing infectious microbial pathogens, or other environmental and IAQ issues, please visit http://www.sussexenvironmental.com, email susan.white@mchsi.com or call (302) 947-1810.

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About Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, LLC
SEHC is a certified woman owned business that provides environmental and health and safety consulting services. The company is located in the Mid-Atlantic and services customers nationwide. SEHC provides solutions to clients ranging from homeowners to international Fortune 500 corporations.