Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

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Gram-stained Staphylococcus aureus. From: Microbeworld.org [1]

Etiology/Bacteriology

Taxonomy

| Domain = Bacteria | Phylum = Firmicutes | Class = Bacilli | Order = Bacillales | Family = Staphylococcaceae | Genus = Staphylococcus | species = S. aureus

NCBI: Taxonomy Genome: Staphylococcus aureus

Description

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive, non-spore forming, nonmotile, cocci bacterium that colonizes in yellow clusters. This facultative anaerobe is considered natural flora in 20-30% of humans, living in the anterior nares and on the skin and was first isolated in the 1890’s from the pus from a surgical abscess in a knee joint. S. aureus is the most common type of staphylococci to cause infections because of its ability to evade the immune system and many antibiotics. These “Staph infections” can cause bacteremia, endocarditis, soft tissue infections, pneumonia, bone and joint infections, CNS, toxic shock syndrome, and even food poisoning. The most notorious strain of staphylococcus aureus is the methicillin resistant strain, commonly known for causing mild to severe skin infections resulting in death if not treated promptly. The most common place to contract Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection is typically in a hospital, but community outbreaks during the past decade have been widely observed.


Pathogenesis

Transmission

Infectious dose, incubation, and colonization

Epidemiology

Virulence factors

Clinical features

Symptoms

Morbidity and Mortality

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

Immune Response

Host Response

Bacterial Evasion

References

Created by Dehra McGuire, student of Tyrrell Conway at the University of Oklahoma.