Sharp Rise in Non-Hospital MRSA

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen commonly present in hospitals, and causes invasive infections among older and vulnerable patients in that setting.  An antimicrobial-resistant MRSA strain, known as The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)  positive strain, is fast becoming widespread in the community setting in Ireland.  It is often associated with skin and soft tissue infections, and can also lead to serious and life threatening bloodstream infections and necrotizing pneumonia. David C. Coleman, from Trinity College (Ireland), and colleagues  have identified significant increases in the prevalence, genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of PVL-positive MRSA circulating in Ireland in the ten years between 2002-2011. Specifically, the researchers note a 44-fold increase in the prevalence of PVL-positive MRSA and a six-fold increase in the number of PVL-positive MRSA samples resistant to multiple antibiotics.  The study authors submit that: “This study highlights the increased burden and changing molecular epidemiology of pvl-positive S. aureus in Ireland over the last decade and the contribution of international travel to the influx of genetically diverse pvl-positive S. aureus isolates into Ireland.”