Methamphetamine use and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infections.
Cohen AL,
Shuler C,
McAllister S,
Fosheim GE,
Brown MG,
Abercrombie D,
Anderson K,
McDougal LK,
Drenzek C,
Arnold K,
Jernigan D,
Gorwitz R.
Respiratory Diseases Brabch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. alcohen1@cdc.gov
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and methamphetamine use are emerging public health problems. We conducted a case-control investigation to determine risk factors for MRSA skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in residents of a largely rural southeastern community in the United States. Case-patients were persons >12 years old who had culturable SSTIs; controls had no SSTIs. Of 119 SSTIs identified, 81 (68.1%) were caused by MRSA. Methamphetamine use was reported in 9.9% of case-patients and 1.8% of controls. After we adjusted for age, sex, and race, patients with MRSA SSTIs were more likely than controls to have recently used methamphetamine (odds ratio 5.10, 95% confidence interval 1.55-16.79). MRSA caused most SSTIs in this population. Transmission of MRSA may be occurring among methamphetamine users in this community.
PMID: 18217555 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]