An Outbreak of Community-Onset Methicillin-Resistant<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>Skin Infections in Southwestern Alaska

Abstract

Our findings indicate that the epidemiology of MRSA in rural southwestern Alaska has changed and suggest that the emergence of community-onset MRSA in this region was not related to spread of a hospital organism. Treatment guidelines were developed recommending that beta-lactam antimicrobial agents not be used as a first-line therapy for suspected S. aureus infections.