Fowler Receives Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)/Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Special Recognition Award in MRSA

Durham, N.C. (October 2007) – Vance Fowler, Jr., MD, MHS, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at the Duke University Medical Center, was selected to receive an Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)/Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Special Recognition Award in MRSA. The purpose of the award is to recognize recent outstanding clinical or epidemiological research that can be expected to make an important contribution toward preventing, diagnosing, or treating MRSA.

MRSA infection is an infection with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics known as beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin, amoxicillin, and penicillin.

Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) are common bacteria that normally live on the skin. The bacteria also live harmlessly in the nasal passages of roughly 30% of the U.S. population. Staph can cause infection when they enter the skin through a cut or sore. Infection can also occur when the bacteria move inside of the body through a catheter or breathing tube. The infection can be minor and local (for example, a pimple), or more serious.

Most staph infections occur in people with weak immune systems, usually patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. MRSA infections in hospitalized patients are known as healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). People who have been hospitalized or had surgery within the past year are at high risk for HA-MRSA. People receiving certain treatments, such as dialysis are also at high risk. MRSA bacteria account for a large percentage of hospital-acquired staph infections.

Over the past several years, MRSA infections in people not considered high-risk have increased. These infections, known as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), occur in otherwise healthy people who have no history of hospitalization in the last year. Many such infections have occurred among athletes who share equipment or personal items (such as towels or razors) and children in daycare facilities.