The dreaded Staph infection methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) appears to be on the decline according to studies conducted at the Centers for Disease Control. MRSA has been a problem in hospitals for some time so this is welcome news to physicians and hospital administrators alike.
Most Staph aureus infections are found on skin and nasal tissue, but invasive MRSA is also carried in the blood infecting lungs, bones, joints and soft tissues. In addition it is the most prominent of the infections that are easily spread in hospitals.
The decline can be attributed to much more stringent infection-control strategies implemented in hospitals, clinics and doctors offices over the last decade. Careful attention to disinfection, hand washing, record keeping and other procedures have all contributed to the decrease in cases.
MRSA is more difficult to treat because of its resistant nature. Some 90,000 cases have been reported each year with as many as 15,000 deaths. People with compromised immune systems are most at risk including the elderly, the very young and those with pre-existing diseases.
The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It is the most comprehensive study to date, and is a great encouragement to those who have been fighting this disease for years.
