Staphylococcus Aureus

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
VISA/VRSA

Background

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of  Staphylococcus (staph) bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams. Most commonly used antibiotics include methicillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin. You can carry MRSA on your skin or in your nose and not even know it. Sometimes, it can cause infections in wounds or other areas of your body. Most MRSA infections are skin infections - they look like red boils or pimples. But if you're in the hospital or a healthcare facility, you're more likely to get a serious MRSA infection. These can cause fever and pain bladder, lungs, or other areas.

Things that can make a patient more likely to get an infection from MRSA, VISA, or VRSA can vary. Generally, these risk factors include:

  • Having other health problems
  • Having a weak immune system
  • Long hospital stay
  • Using devices like ventilators or catheters
  • Recent surgery
  • Using antibiotics often

Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus(VISA) and Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 

Like MRSA, vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) are types of staph bacteria that are resistant (or have intermediate resistance) to certain antibiotics. Because of their resistance to antibiotics, VISA/VRSA infections can be more difficult to treat.  VISA/VRSA infections may affect the skin or may get into the bloodstream, causing a more serious type of infection.

Things that can make a patient more likely to get an infection from MRSA, VISA, or VRSA can vary. Generally, these risk factors include:

  • Having other health problems
  • Having a weak immune system
  • Long hospital stay
  • Using devices like ventilators or catheters
  • Recent surgery
  • Using antibiotics often

 

 

 

Educational Resources

General Resources 

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)

VDH Infection Prevention and Control Assessments: The HAI/AR team is available to conduct a no-cost, non-regulatory, onsite visit to help a facility identify its infection prevention strengths and areas of opportunity.

Environmental Protection Agency 

Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group

VCU Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center

 

 

 

Patient Resources

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) 

 

 

 

Data & Reporting

  • According to CDC’s 2019 Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report, MRSA is identified as a serious threat. In 2017, there were an estimated 323,700 cases in hospitalized patients and 10,600 deaths in the United States.
  • CMS Care Compare – a searchable database of Medicare-certified facilities including acute care hospitals. Allows users to compare facilities on a variety of quality measures including MRSA blood infections and other facility characteristics.

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

  • Resources related to reporting MRSA events to NHSN are available on the CDC website, including protocols, data collection forms, and analysis resources.
  • Acute care hospital MRSA bacteremia data can be accessed on the VDH HAI/AR Program Data website.

Virginia Communicable Disease & Outbreak Reporting Requirements

State regulatory code aligns Virginia’s healthcare-associated infection reporting requirements with those required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Acute care hospitals report MRSA bacteremia laboratory-identified (LabID) events to VDH via CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

Last Updated: September 24, 2024