Superbug MSRA Hits Poor Chicago Neighborhood

Methicillin-resistant stahpylocococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph infection that is resistant to penicillin type antibiotics. MRSA is often called a superbug. MRSA was first discovered in 1961 in the United Kingdom. Since then, MRSA is common in hospitals around the world.

However, in the last few years, MRSA has increasingly become more common in community areas. This phenomenon is mostly restricted to the United States and Australia. It is common enough that most medical experts now distinguish between the two types of staph infections. CA-MRSA is the MRSA found within communities and HA-MRSA is the type of staph infection found in hospitals.

Chicago, in particular, has seen a threatening increase in the CA-MRSA type of infections, reports Chicago Tribune. The Archives of Internal Medicine reported that Chicago researchers have studied a sevenfold increase in MRSA infections in the emergency room at Stroger Hospital and Cook County medical clinics from 2000-2005. Both are in the Chicago area.

The drug-resistant staph bacteria cause skin infections. Sometimes these skin infections may lead to blood poisoning, pneumonia, or a painful condition that destroys human flesh.

Citizens of the Near West Side neighborhood living in public housing were at the highest risk. Experts warn that MRSA is becoming a problem of epidemic proportions in the Near West Side neighborhood of Chicago. Other risk factors include being African-American, getting illegal tattoos, being imprisoned, certain sports activities, poor hygiene, and using intravenuous drugs. The Chicago Tribune reports that approximately 96 percent of skin and soft tissue infections being seen in Chicago area inmates are community-obtained MRSA infections.