"MRSA" Rates!!

The number of MRSA infections are steadily decreasing, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.


MRSA (also known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has been widely regarded as one of the baddest bugs in the hospital, mainly because the strain is resistant to certain antibiotics.

Because of its reputation, many health-care workers have tried to stop the bacteria from spreading by implementing programs in hospitals and other facilities. And many researchers suspect that the initiatives are working. In fact, according to background research in the study, recent data has shown that MRSA rates have been decreasing in intensive care units.

To test this theory, a group of scientists collected and analyzed data from 9 different cities, covering approximately 15 million people over a 4-year period.

After examining the results, they discovered that there was an approximate 28 percent decrease in all hospital-onset invasive MRSA infections and a 17 percent decrease in all invasive health care-associated infections over the 4-year period.

“Although the reasons for the observed decrease in incidence of invasive health care–associated MRSA infections is not known,” write the study authors, “a number of factors might have contributed, including the dissemination of MRSA prevention practices in many US hospitals.”

Still, just because MRSA rates are decresasing doesn’t mean you’re home-free at the hospital: Another type of bacteria is also on the rise, according to experts.