Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a formidable pathogen that has garnered significant attention in the field of healthcare-associated infections. It is a strain of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium commonly found on the skin and in the nasal passages of healthy individuals. However, MRSA has developed resistance to methicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics, making it challenging to treat and control. The emergence of MRSA can be traced back to the early 1960s when it was first identified. Initially, MRSA infections were predominantly limited to hospitals and other healthcare settings, hence the term healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). However, in recent years, a new type of MRSA has emerged, known as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), which primarily affects healthy individuals outside of healthcare facilities. This evolution has raised concerns about the increasing prevalence and severity of MRSA infections in both healthcare and community settings. One of...