Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an update.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious threat to patients in health care facilities and the community. A MRSA infection can be much more severe than other bacterial infections and can be life-threatening. Resistance to common antibiotics makes treating MRSA costly and difficult. Prolonged hospitalization requiring specialized IV antibiotics also has cost implications. Treatment of MRSA can include use of antibiotics; topical therapies such as honey, topical silver, and gentian violet; and bacteriophages. Research is being conducted on new antibiotics and a MRSA vaccine.