Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 12, 2026

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

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Vancomycin intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)

N C Miller1, R C Rudoy

  • 1Patient Services, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Honolulu, USA.

Orthopedic Nursing
|March 20, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is mutating, leading to vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA). This review discusses VISA, its clinical effects, and strategies for antibiotic resistance control.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been a significant public health concern since the 1980s.
  • Vancomycin, a critical last-resort antibiotic, was previously uniformly effective against MRSA.
  • Emerging vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) strains pose a growing threat to effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical manifestations of Staphylococcus aureus infections.
  • To explain the mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance.
  • To discuss reported cases of VISA and outline prevention and control strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of reported VISA cases.
  • Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus mutation and resistance development.
  • Synthesis of clinical data and intervention strategies.

Main Results:

  • Staphylococcus aureus has developed intermediate resistance to vancomycin (VISA).
  • VISA presents specific clinical challenges and requires tailored management.
  • Understanding resistance mechanisms is crucial for effective control.

Conclusions:

  • VISA represents a critical challenge in managing Staphylococcus aureus infections.
  • Intervention strategies focusing on prevention and control are essential.
  • Continued surveillance and research are necessary to combat evolving antibiotic resistance.

More Related Videos

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria14:04

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

Atomic Force Microscopy Combined with Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool to Probe Single Bacterium Chemistry08:51

Atomic Force Microscopy Combined with Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool to Probe Single Bacterium Chemistry

Published on: September 15, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
Automated Microbial Diagnostics01:24

Automated Microbial Diagnostics

Automated diagnostic analyzers have transformed clinical microbiology by providing rapid and reliable methods for pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Among these systems, the Vitek 2 is widely used because it automates the traditionally labor-intensive processes of microbial identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), delivering standardized and timely results that are essential for effective patient care.Microbial Identification with ID CardsThe...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...