From the 1980s to the late 1990s, highly toxic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains (called community-associated [CA] MRSA) appeared in the community. Although the prevalence of HA-MRSA (health-related MRSA) infection remained stable between 1998 and 2008, the CA-MRSA (community-related MRSA) infection rate increased. By far, the most common manifestations of CA-MRSA related diseases are skin and soft tissue infections. Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) account for at least 90% of CA-MRSA infections. CA-MRSA strains also cause bone and joint infections, such as osteomyelitis and respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, sepsis, and urinary tract infections. Given that Staphylococcus aureus can live in the home as a settler or environmental pollutant, the environment can be used as a medium for obtaining and transmitting MRSA. In addition, transmission of MRSA between pets and humans has been proposed, but the directionality is unclear. In this study, we report an in-depth epidemiological and genomics study of a community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in SSRSH, Zhejiang Province, China.

Eligibility criteria:

1. Inclusion criteria: Patients (Child, Adult) with infections caused by S. aureus from the sites as follows: blood stream, skin or soft tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, bone and joint, genitourinary tract, infection of indwelling intravascular device, surgical wound, respiratory tract (organism grown from sputum and infiltrate on chest X-ray), peritoneal fluid or other otherwise sterile body fluids.
2. Exclusion criteria: Patients with risk factors for nosocomial or medically related infections, and patients who have been decolonized (using mupirocin, chlorhexidine or bleach) in the past month.

Outcome measures:

1. Isolation rate of staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus on domestic environment, contact and pets and livestock.
2. Molecular characteristics of CA-MRSA isolates recovered in Chinese hospitals, home environments, contacts, and pets and livestock.

Definition:

A MRSA infection was considered to be HA-MRSA by the CDC epidemiologic definitions if, in the year prior to culture, the subject had surgery, hospitalization, hemodialysis or a stay in a long-term care facility, if an indwelling vascular catheter was in place at the time of culture, or if the subject was an inpatient hospitalized for 2 days at the time of culture. Otherwise, the subject was considered to have a CA-MRSA infection.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients (Adult) with infections caused by S. aureus from the sites as follows: blood stream, skin or soft tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, bone and joint, genitourinary tract, infection of indwelling intravascular device, surgical wound, respiratory tract (organism grown from sputum and infiltrate on chest X-ray), peritoneal fluid or other otherwise sterile body fluids.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with risk factors for nosocomial or medically related infections, and patients who have been decolonized (using mupirocin, chlorhexidine or bleach) in the past month.

No special requirements