MRSA

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus

aureus

Taxonomy &
Nomenclature

Domain: Bacteria

Kingdom: Eubacteria

Phylum: Firmicutes

Class: Baccilli

Order: Bacillales

Family: Staphylococcaceae

Genus: Staphylococcus

Species: Staphylococcus aureus

Subspecies: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Very small, single-celled

Prokaryotes
Gram-positive
Rod-shaped

Medically significant pathogens

Divide into two planes
Yellow coloring
Resistant to the antibiotic methicillin

General Characteristics

Staphylococci grow in clusters by aerobic

respiration or by fermentation that yields
lactic acid
Perfectly spherical cells about 1 micrometer in
diameter
Pathogen
Diseases range from mild skin infections to
life-threatening sepsis
Named Staph infections in the 1880s

History of its antibiotic

resistance

Penicillin was used to treat Staph infections

after surgeries in the 1940s
In 1959, 50-60% of Staph infections were
resistant to penicillin
The new drug used was methicillin
Within one year, Staphylococcus aureus was
resistant to methicillin also
Proportion of MRSA cases has risen steadily
through the years

Disinfection in hospital setting experiment

Authors: Bartels, M.D., Kristoffersen, K., Slotsbjerg,

Rohde, S.M., Lundgren, B., and Westh, H.
The effect of hydrogen peroxide vapor diffused by
Sterinis against MRSA in two hospital settings and
two field trials
Hospital 1: 4 MRSA strains in 5 locations for a week
Field 1: 14 upholstered chairs of MRSA patients
Hospital 2: Repeat Hospital 1 with fewer disinfection
cycles
Field 2: Private home of family of 4 MRSA patients

Conclusions

Experimental Conclusions
Hydrogen peroxide vapor diffused by Sterinis was
successful against MRSA in the hospital settings
but not in the private home of the MRSA patients.

Future studies:

More trials/more locations

Different locations and surfaces
Different antibiotic resistant pathogens
Different antibacterial agents

References

Bartels, M.D., Kristoffersen, K., Lundgren, B., Rohde,

S.M., Slotsbjerg, T., & Westh, H. 2008. Environmental
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
disinfection using dry-mist-generated hydrogen
peroxide. Journal of Hospital Infection 70 (1): 35-41.
http://textbookofbacteriology.net/staph.html
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/seubert_heid/
Adaptation.htm