New, more deadly strain of MRSA found

Patient Safety Monitor Alert

November 4, 2009

A new strain of MRSA has been found that is five more times as deadly as other strains and infects the bloodstream, reports HealthDay. The strain also appears to be more resistant to vancomycin, a medication which has been able to combat other strains of MRSA.

According to the study presented at a recent Infectious Diseases Society of America conference, half of patients who contracted the new strain died within a month. Generally, of the patients who contract MRSA in the bloodstream, 10% to 30% die within a month.