[Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Epidemiology, diagnostics, therapy, and prevention].

The increasing number of complicated soft-tissue or invasive infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a frequent reason for elaborate treatment regimens. Unidentified MRSA carriers may be the origin of endemic spread to other patients and medical staff. Recently, community-associated cMRSA with particular virulence factors were isolated from persons without the typical history of hospital contacts. Molecular tools for the timely detection of the mecA resistance gene for the identification of MRSA in medical test specimens have become a standard approach in MRSA-related diagnostic procedures. The actual therapy of MRSA infections requires consideration of both the appropriate spectrum of activity and the adequate pharmacological properties of a chosen antimicrobial. Preventive strategies rely on the consistent application of standard hygiene precautions, which have to be supplemented with increased barriers for the isolation of identified MRSA patients.