Here are eight stories and studies on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other staph infections that have been covered by Becker's Hospital Review over the past month, beginning with the most recent.
1. An article in JAMA Pediatrics showed invasive methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus causes more infections and deaths in hospitalized infants than MRSA, meaning measures to prevent staph infections should include MSSA in addition to MRSA. Read more.
2. Tamoxifen — a drug used to both prevent and treat breast cancer — was shown to have potential to boost the body's defense system against MRSA infections in a study published in the journal Nature Communications. Read more.
3. New York Giant tight end Daniel Fells contracted MRSA, causing the team officials to pursue disinfection services for its practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J. Read more.
4. Nine of the hospitals that were rated poorly by Consumer Reports in five infection control categories — including MRSA — responded to their "Low-Down Dozen" status in written statements. Read more.
5. A study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology showed single-patient neonatal intensive care unit rooms did not reduce the rates of MRSA colonization, late-onset sepsis or death compared to open-unit rooms. Read more.
6. Incidences of hospital-acquired infections involving USA 300, the most common strain of the MRSA bacteria, are declining. Outside of healthcare facilities, however, MRSA infection rates are holding steady. Read more.
7. Researchers found that using phages — viruses that bypass human cells in favor of targeting and infecting bacteria — on samples of MRSA produced a significant reduction in colony forming units of the bacteria, according to a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE. Read more.
8. Individually, meropenem, piperacillin and tazobactam may not be effective against MRSA, but a study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology showed that together, the trio of antibiotics can kill the deadly pathogen. Read more.