Probl Hig Epidemiol 2016, 97(2): 106-112pl

Epidemiology of multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Bożena Nowakowicz-Dębek, Łukasz Wlazło, Martyna Kasela, Mateusz Ossowski

Pracownia Zagrożeń Zawodowych i Środowiskowych, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Lublinie

Summary
Treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus is one of the toughest challenges of modern epidemiology. A considerable progress in the medical field has allowed extending the lives of immunocompromised people but also created a group of unusually high incidence of bacteraemia risk of various etiologies. Due to a very high genetic variability, phenotypic and excellent adaptation to the surrounding environmental conditions, Staphylococcus aureus has become resistant to most antimicrobial agents currently used. A reckless use of antibiotics, as well as non-standard methods of identifying newly established populations have contributed to the emergence of this drug resistance phenomenon. Therefore, in recent years the world has witnessed a considerable increase in the share of staphylococcal infections in hospitals and in non-hospital environment.

Key words:  Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, VRSA, epidemiology, drug resistance