Environmental risk factors for community-acquired MRSA
Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is endemic in North America. In contrast to MRSA acquired in hospital settings, CA-MRSA is present in a wide variety of environments including health care settings outside of hospitals and animal care settings, beaches and recreational waters, athletic facilities, spas and saunas. The risk of infection from environmental exposure to CA-MRSA is unknown. Exposure to contaminated high-touch surfaces or fomites and close contact with other colonized people or animals in these environments may contribute to CA-MRSA transmission and colonization. Certain occupations, activities or living situations, and/or marginalized populations may have increased exposure to CA-MRSA in specific environments compared to the general public. More stringent cleaning and disinfection practices are recommended to reduce transmission and colonization in environments where individuals may be at greater risk of exposure to CA-MRSA.