Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, refers to strains of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that have acquired resistance to methicillin and virtually all beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins and most cephalosporins. This resistance is conferred by the mecA gene, carried on a mobile gene…
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, refers to strains of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that have acquired resistance to methicillin and virtually all beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins and most cephalosporins. This resistance is conferred by the mecA gene, carried on a mobile genetic element called the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec, which encodes an altered penicillin-binding protein, PBP2a, with low affinity for beta-lactams, allowing cell-wall synthesis to continue despite drug exposure. MRSA causes the full spectrum of staphylococcal disease, from skin and soft-tissue infections to bacteremia, endocarditis, pneumonia, and surgical-site and device-related infections, and its resistance narrows therapeutic options and worsens outcomes. Epidemiologically, MRSA is classified as healthcare-associated, often affecting hospitalized or institutionalized patients, and community-associated, arising in otherwise healthy individuals, with both colonizing the skin and nares and spreading through direct contact and contaminated surfaces. Colonization can precede infection and serves as a reservoir for transmission. Diagnosis and management depend on culture, susceptibility testing, and treatment with agents such as vancomycin, linezolid, or daptomycin, although reduced susceptibility to these drugs is an emerging concern. As a leading example of antimicrobial resistance, MRSA is central to infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship. Research relevant to the topic includes colonization patterns and risk factors, susceptibility surveillance, activity of newer antibiotics, and resistance in both human and veterinary contexts.
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The 5 articles above have been cited 17 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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