Costs of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its control.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clones have caused a huge worldwide epidemic of hospital-acquired infections over the past 20-30 years and continue to evolve, including the advent of virulent community strains. The burden on healthcare services is highly significant, in particular because MRSA has not replaced susceptible staphylococcal infection but is an additional problem. Treatment strategies for MRSA are suboptimal and compromise the care of patients. MRSA is associated with serious morbidity and mortality, both within and without hospitals. Although the literature on the costs of MRSA and its control is suboptimal, it is clear that the control of MRSA is highly desirable and likely to be cost-effective. Any compromises in control are likely to be false economies.