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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

An outbreak of community-acquired foodborne illness caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Timothy F Jones1, Molly E Kellum, Susan S Porter

  • 1Communicable and Environmental Disease Services, Tennessee Department of Health, 4th Floor, Cordell Hull Building, 425 5th Avenue N., Nashville, TN 37247, USA. tjones4@mail.state.tn.us

Emerging Infectious Diseases
|December 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) caused a gastrointestinal illness outbreak. This is the first report linking a food handler to community-acquired MRSA foodborne transmission.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Food Safety

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are increasingly acquired in the community.
  • Staphylococcus aureus can produce toxins leading to gastrointestinal illness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness linked to a specific strain of MRSA.
  • To identify the source and transmission route of the community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strain.

Main Methods:

  • Culture and molecular methods were used to identify the MRSA strain.
  • Epidemiological investigation was conducted to trace the source of infection.

Main Results:

  • A single toxin-producing strain of MRSA was identified in a food handler, food specimen, and three ill patrons.
  • The outbreak was linked to a food handler, indicating potential foodborne transmission.

Conclusions:

  • This is the first reported outbreak of gastrointestinal illness caused by community-acquired MRSA.
  • Foodborne transmission of CA-MRSA is a potential public health concern.

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