Are Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Strains Replacing Traditional Nosocomial MRSA Strains?

Abstract

Although total hospital-onset MRSA bloodstream infection rates were relatively stable during 2000-2006, CG strains were responsible for an increasing proportion of cases (from 24% to 49%), suggesting replacement of traditional hospital-associated strains. For most risk factors and outcomes, patients infected with CG and HG strains were similar, suggesting that, thus far, CG strains are behaving like their traditional hospital-associated counterparts.