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Healthcare Associated Infections - FAQs:
The virus nicknamed CRHP is known scientifically as carbapenem-resistent Klebsiella pneumoniae. It is emerging as an important challenge in health-care settings.
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MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics. Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) who have weakened immune systems (see MRSA in Healthcare Settings). The MRSA bacteria are commonly found on the skin or in the nose of healthy people.
Staph bacteria is present in the nose of approximately 25% to 30% of the population without causing an infection. MRSA is present in about 1 percent of people.
Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor (such as pimples and boils) and can be treated without antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections (such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia).
Learn More:
- MRSA (MedlinePlus)
- Symptoms of MRSA (CDC)
- Protect Yourself from MRSA (CDC)
- Environmental Cleaning & Disinfecting for MRSA (CDC)
- Drug Resistance to MRSA Research (NIH/NIAID)
- Clinical Trials on MRSA (NIH)
Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) who have weakened immune systems. These healthcare-associated staph infections include surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.
Learn More:
- People at Risk of Acquiring MRSA Infections (CDC)
- MRSA (MedlinePlus)
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)
