Aspects of the epidemiology of MRSA in Europe.

The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) varies in different European countries, in different cities in the same country or even within a city or a hospital. It is thought that the overall incidence of MRSA is higher than ever before, although the reasons for this are unclear. MRSA typing can identify epidemic MRSA in many countries. The spread of a closely related clone is Northern Europe is a cause for concern, as it is resistant to many agents. In the UK, control measures are threatened by changing patterns of health care and patient demography. Resistance to mupirocin, a valuable agent in the control of MRSA, has emerged in many hospitals in the UK, thus the agent must be used judiciously.