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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been endemic in hospitals worldwide for 40 years. Infection is most commonly healthcare-associated, occurring in patients who have had recent hospitalization, surgery, dialysis, indwelling catheters, or residence in long-term–care facilities. Recent outbreaks of MRSA infections in prisons were notable because some hosts had none of the established risk factors (JWEM Jan 6 2004). Several recent reports highlight the growing problem of community-acquired MRSA.
CDC researchers conducted a surveillance study of all cases of MRSA infection in Atlanta, Baltimore, and several regions of Minnesota from 2001 through 2002. Infections were categorized as community-acquired if patients had none of t…