MRSA: an old and new enemy

MRSA first appeared in the UK in 1961 soon after the introduction of methicillin into clinical practice and, thereafter rapidly spread to hospitals in Europe, USA, Australia and around the world. This pathogen causes a vast spectrum of clinical diseases, ranging from benign superficial skin infections to severe life-threatening conditions, such as bacteraemia, endocarditis, pneumonia, abscesses, and soft or bone-tissue infections. Nowadays MRSA is considered a major problem in many hospitals although rates vary much from country to country. Differences are caused largely by uneven control and isolation measures, hand hygiene practices, antibiotic prescribing behaviours and allocation resources.