So far only two cases of the new form of the USA300 strain of the bug have been recorded in the UK.
The new strain is resistant to treatment by many front-line antibiotics. It causes large boils on the skin, and in severe cases can lead to fatal blood poisoning or necrotising pneumonia, which eats away at the lungs.
MRSA evolution
The first MRSA strain, resistant to the penicillin substitute methicillin, was discovered in 1961.
The USA300 strain was first isolated from a patient in 2001 - it is now the dominant form of Staphylococcus infection in the US .
The latest variant of USA300 - FPR3757- is resistant to six major kinds of antibiotics.
Even the new variant is treatable with some antibiotics, most importantly vancomycin .
However, doctors fear it is close to acquiring resistance to that drug as well.
MRSA transmission
It is not usually contracted in hospitals, but in the community - often by casual contact.
Data suggests it may be more prevalent among the gay community, researcher Dr Binh Diep, from San Francisco General Hospital Medical Centre, said: "These multi-drug resistant infections often affect gay men at body sites in which skin-to-skin contact occurs during sexual activities. But because the bacteria can be spread by more casual contact, we are also very concerned about a potential spread of this strain into the general population."
Dr Diep said the best way to avoid transmission was probably to wash thoroughly with soap and water, especially after sexual activities.
The EU initiative on antimicrobial resistance
In 2001, the Commission launched a Strategy to combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance to human, animal and plant health, which includes data collection, surveillance, research, awareness-raising exercises and the phasing out of antibiotics for non-medical use in animals.
The Recommendation on the prudent use of antibiotics adopted in 2002 was a component in this strategy, outlining clear-cut measures in human medicine that Member States could take to reduce antimicrobial resistance.
The Commission has summarized the main actions taken at Member State and EU level in a report to the Council highlighting the areas of the Recommendation needing further attention. The report is supported by a Commission Staff Working Paper providing a more detailed analysis. The report outlines a variety of measures already taken by Member States in line with the Recommendation, including improved surveillance of antibiotic use and resistance, and closer cooperation between different professionals on this issue.
Member States have taken good steps forward in putting measures in place against antimicrobial resistance. However, some key areas need to be better addressed, in particular infection control, reducing self-medication of antibiotics and educating citizens on the proper use of antimicrobial treatments.
The report remarks that self-medication with antibiotics is still a problem in many Member States - something for which a "prescription only" approach should be strictly enforced and educational activities are needed. The Commission suggests that all countries should have guidelines on appropriate antimicrobial treatment, at least for the most common illnesses, and that information and education available to citizens on antimicrobials should be improved.
Health care institutions are strongly recommended to step up infection control measures to counter the spread of "super-bugs" such as MRSA. Both the emergence of new strains and their spread increase the problem of resistance and the Commission is taking initiative in the area of infection control. Finally, the importance of international cooperation on antimicrobial resistance, due to the global nature of the problem, is emphasised.
For further information:
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
Comment on "Multidrug-resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain in a men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) community in the United States" by Eurosurveillance
DG Health and Consumer protection on antimicrobial resistance
EPHA related articles:
European Parliament addresses antibiotic resistance
