Large study also found drop in serious MRSA blood-system
infections By Serena Gordon TUESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) --
The number of infections occurring in community settings, such
as gyms or schools, that are caused by the so-called "superbug"
MRSA are declining, according to a study of more than 9 million
active and non-active military personnel and their immediate
families. The superbug, known as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, is a type of staph bacteria
that's resistant to many antibiotics, including penicillin and
amoxicillin, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. About 2 percent of the U.S. population carry the
MRSA bacteria in their nasal cavities, the CDC reports. This
latest study from the U.S. Department of Defense also found that
the rate of serious infections known as bacteremia caused by
MRSA had dropped between 2005 and 2010, in both community and
hospital settings. "These observations, taken together with the
results from others showing decre