-
Staph Discovered
Staphylococcus aureus is identified as the cause of wound infection by the Scottish surgeon Sir Alexander Ogston, who named it for the grape-like clusters he observed under the microscope.
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/aid/v4/n1/genesis-of-mrsa -
Robert Kosh
Robert Koch notices work of Alexander Ogston and expands study of S. aureus. He reports that it is the most common cause of wound infections in hospitals. -
Penciillin
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin. -
Penicilin cures
S. aureus blood infections have a mortality rate of 81% in a Boston hospital. The same year, a British policeman seriously ill with S. aureus is cured by penicillin. -
Misuse and Overuse
Widespread use of penicillin cures many staph infections after D-Day. The “miracle drug” mentality leads to lapses in aseptic protocols and “more is better.” By 1946, Alexander Fleming warns that penicillin-resistant staph will increase (Fleming 1946). Misuse and overuse or antiboitics increase leading up to MRSA -
Founding of MRSA through Staph
Garden-variety staph are common bacteria that can live in our bodies. Plenty of healthy people carry staph without being infected by it. In fact, 25%-30% of us have staph bacteria in our noses. But staph can be a problem if it manages to get into the body, often through a cut. Once there, it can cause an infection. Staph is one of the most common causes of skin infections in the U.S. -
Founding of MRSA through Staph (Continued)
Usually, these are minor and don't need special treatment. Less often, staph can cause serious problems like infected wounds or pneumonia. Staph can usually be treated with antibiotics. But over the decades, some strains of staph -- like MRSA -- have become resistant to antibiotics that once destroyed it. MRSA was first discovered in 1961. It's now resistant to methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, oxacillin, and many other antibiotics. http://niaid.nih.gov/topics/antimicrobialresistance/exam -
Spread of MRSA
Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is first detected in a British hospital; during the next 10 years, MRSA becomes widespread in Europe, the USA, and Australia.MRSA is spread by contact. So, you could get MRSA by touching another person who has it on the skin. Or you could get it by touching objects that have the bacteria on them. MRSA is carried by about 1% of the population, although most of them aren't infected. -
Community Associated MRSA (Continued)
CA-MRSA skin infections have been identified among certain populations that share close quarters or have more skin-to-skin contact. Examples are team athletes, military recruits, and prison inmates. But more and more CA-MRSA infections are being seen in the general community, especially in certain geographic regions.CA-MRSA is also infecting much younger people. -
Community Associated MRSA:
Alarmingly, MRSA is also showing up in healthy people who have not been hospitalized. This type of MRSA is called community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA. The CDC reports that in 2007, 14% of people with MRSA infections contracted them outside of a health care setting. Studies have shown that rates of CA-MRSA infection are growing fast. One study of children in south Texas found that cases of CA-MRSA had a 14-fold increase between 1999 and 2001. -
CDC
The CDC reports more U.S. deaths due to MRSA than AIDS in 2005. -
Public Schools
MRSA reports skyrocket in public schools. -
Spread of MRSA (Continued)
MRSA infections are common among people who have weak immune systems and are in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care centers. Infections can appear around surgical wounds or invasive devices, like catheters or implanted feeding tubes. Rates of infection in hospitals, especially intensive care units, are rising throughout the world. In U.S. hospitals, MRSA causes more than 60% of staph infections.
