Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Elderly patients with chronic illnesses are at increased risk of becoming colonized or infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Therapeutic choices for the treatment of MRSA have been limited by the ever-expanding resistance of organisms and drug toxicity. In hospitals, the MRSA carrier state has been associated with increased risk of infection and possible dissemination of the organism to other patients. The epidemiology of MRSA and its significance in long-term care have been less well defined. Isolation procedures and steps to contain or eradicate MRSA should be accommodated to the individual needs of the facility and its resources.