Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and athletes.

The remarkable ability of Staphylococcus aureus to develop antibiotic resistance in conjunction with the emergence of highly virulent and/or transmissible strains has established the pathogen as a leading cause of human bacterial infections worldwide. Historically, methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) was found almost exclusively in hospitals and/or health care-related facilities. However, in the late 1990s, community-associated MRSA strains emerged in the United States and rapidly became the leading cause of community-associated bacterial infections. An enhanced understanding of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of this bacterium is fundamental for the prevention and/or treatment of community-associated MRSA infections. This review highlights salient features of S aureus biology that contribute to the exceptional ability of this pathogen to cause human disease, as well as discusses, in brief, the established approaches for treatment and prevention of infection.