What are the criteria for distinguishing community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) from healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA)?

What are the criteria for distinguishing community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) from healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA)?

Persons with MRSA infections that meet all of the following criteria likely have CA-MRSA infections:

Diagnosis of MRSA was made in the outpatient setting or by a culture positive for MRSA within 48 hours after admission to the hospital.

No medical history of MRSA infection or colonization.

No medical history in the past year of:

Hospitalization
Admission to a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, or hospice
Dialysis
Surgery
No permanent indwelling catheters or medical devices that pass through the skin into the body.

What is the main way that staph or MRSA is transmitted in the community?

The main mode of transmission of staph and/or MRSA is via hands which may become contaminated by contact with a) colonized or infected individuals, b) colonized or infected body sites of other persons, or c) devices, items, or environmental surfaces contaminated with body fluids containing staph or MRSA. Other factors contributing to transmission include skin-to-skin contact, crowded conditions, and poor hygiene.

How is a MRSA infection diagnosed?

In general, a culture should be obtained from the infection site and sent to the microbiology laboratory. If S. aureus is isolated, the organism should be tested as follows to determine which antibiotics will be effective for treating the infection.

Skin Infection: Obtain either a small biopsy of skin or drainage from the infected site. A culture of a skin lesion is especially useful in recurrent or persistent cases of skin infection, in cases of antibiotic failure, and in cases that present with advanced or aggressive infections.

Pneumonia: Obtain a sputum culture (expectorated purulent sputum, respiratory lavage, or bronchoscopy).

Bloodstream Infection: Obtain blood cultures using aseptic techniques.

Urinary Infection: Obtain urine cultures using aseptic techniques.

How are CA-MRSA infections treated?

Staph skin infections, such as boils or abscesses, may be treated by incision and drainage, depending on severity. Antibiotic treatment, if indicated, should be guided by the susceptibility profile of the organism.

How do CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA strains differ?

Recently recognized outbreaks of MRSA in community settings have been associated with strains that have some unique microbiologic and genetic properties compared with the traditional hospital-based MRSA strains, suggesting some biologic properties (e.g., virulence factors) may allow the community strains to spread more easily or cause more skin disease. Additional studies are underway to characterize and compare the biologic properties of HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA strains.

There are at least three different S. aureus strains in the United States that can cause CA-MRSA infections. CDC continues to work with state and local health departments to gather organisms and epidemiologic data from known cases to determine why certain groups of people get these infections.

Are MRSA infections a reportable disease?

MRSA is reportable in several states. The decision to make a particular disease reportable to public health authorities is made by each state, based on the needs of that individual state. To find out if MRSA is reportable in your state, call your state health department.

CDC