The Spread of Bacteria on University Campuses

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the impact of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus on American university campuses. The paper explains that methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) gained public fame as the notorious "flesh eating bacteria." MRSA is serious because, unlike non-resistant forms of Staphylococcus aureus, it does not respond readily to a host of antibiotics commonly used to treat such illnesses. This paper utilizes the results of a survey done on MRSA and university students to develop a plan that can be used by American college campuses to help control the spread of MRSA among the student population. The paper points out that MRSA is typically associated with a hospital setting, but as outbreaks began to occur that were obviously not of a hospital origin, a new classification system was developed. The paper then looks at how this classification system has more to do with disease prevention and community health than clinical treatment of the disease.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusions
Appended is a survey questionnaire

From the Paper:

"MRSA has been the subject of many clinical studies. There is an abundance of information one the various drugs that have been developed to help combat the disease, its history and mutations, and methods of control in various populations. A majority of the literature has focused on MRSA in the healthcare setting. However, there is a growing body of literature that addresses MRSA in settings other than in hospitals. The reason for this growth in interest regarding Community Acquired MRSA is the growing number of outbreaks on college campuses, particularly among sports participants.
Literature focuses on the clinical aspects of control and treatment. However, there is little information on the reason for the growing concern on college campus."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Amherst University (2007). Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Facts. Retrieved from http://www.amherst.edu/~ehs/programs/Health/MRSA.html
• Birmingham MC, Rayner CR, Meagher AK, Flavin SM, Batts DH, & Schentag JJ (2003). Linezolid for the treatment of multidrug-resistant, gram-positive infections: experience from a compassionate-use program. Clinical Infectious Disease. 36 (2): 159-68. PMID 12522747.
• Bratu S, Eramo A, Kopec R, Coughlin E, Ghitan M, Yost R, Chapnick EK, Landman D, & Quale J. (2003). Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in hospital nursery and maternity units. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 11 (6): 808-813.
• Center for Disease Control (2006) CDC Guideline "Management of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Healthcare Settings, 2006." Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/ar/mdroGuideline2006.pdf.
• Cosgrove S, Qi Y, Kaye KS, Harbarth S, Karchmer AW, & Carmeli Y (2005). The impact of Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia on Patient Outcomes: Mortality, Length of Stay, and Hospital Charges. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 26: 166-174.

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