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News... Healthcare News Warning over new threat from MRSA | Warning over new threat from MRSA |
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A new strain of MRSA seems to be triggering a deadly form of pneumonia in people who catch flu, experts say. Researchers believe the new strain of the antibiotic-resistant bacterium is becoming more widespread. It is known as community acquired MRSA, (CA-MRSA) because, unlike most forms of the superbug, it poses a significant risk outside hospitals. The potential threat is detailed in a study appearing in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases. The researchers, from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, say death rates following infection may be higher than 50%. They warn the emergence of swine flu could intensify the problem, as CA-MRSA appears to strike people who are already ill with flu. However, the just how common infections are remains unknown. MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the blood, lungs and sites of surgery. Most occur in healthcare settings, such as hospitals or nursing homes. But the latest study warns that community-acquired cases are beginning to increase. Writing in the journal, the researchers said: "Community-acquired MRSA infections are no longer restricted to certain risk groups or to the geographic areas where outbreaks first occurred." "They now occur widely both in the community as well as health care facilities and have been reported on every continent." |
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