MRSA Prevalent Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Diep BA, Chambers HF, Graber CJ, et al. Emergence of multidrug-resistant, community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone USA300 in men who have sex with men. Ann Intern Med. 2008;148:249-257.
Researchers now fear that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a sexually transmitted disease among men who have sex with men (MSM).
A report in the January issue of Annals of Internal Medicine states that MSM are 13 times more likely to contract the multi-drug-resistant USA300 clone of MRSA. This is due to the fact that this particular strain is most often seen in the genitals, buttocks, and perineum.
A study at a health clinic in Boston examined 130 cases of MRSA, 126 of which were the USA300 strain. Of those 126, more than one-half were MSM. None of the 3,000 heterosexual men who are seen annually at the clinic had any signs of the USA300 strain. Another study in San Francisco uncovered similar results.
The multi-drug-resistant USA300 clone of MRSA has the ability to fight off beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, tetracycline, macrolide, clindamycin, and mupirocin. Providers treating skin infections in MSM should be aware of this and prescribe treatments accordingly.