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MRSA Found in U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants

MRSA Found in U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012).

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MRSA Found in U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants

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  1. MRSA Found in U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants

  2. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) • MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). • Some beta-lactam antibiotics: Dicloxacillin, Methicillin, Oxacillin and Temocillin. • Typically people who are infected are hospital patients and those who are infected can shed MRSA from their skin, nose and feces.

  3. The rise of community-acquired MRSA cases (CA-MRSA) There has been a rise in CA-MRSA cases since the 1990s Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD) wanted to find out how healthy people were coming into contact with this microorganism. The UMD research team tested the water from four U.S. WWTPs. These plants were chosen because they used the treated effluent water as reclaimed wastewater for spray irrigation activities.

  4. Results MRSA along with methicillin-susceptible Stapylococcus aureus (MSSA) were found in all four of the WWTPs. Only 1 in 4 of the WWTPs had bacteria present in the effluent. The WWTP did not always use chlorination in their treatment process. MRSA was found in 83% of the influent 93% of the MRSA strains and 55% of the MSSA strains isolated were resistant to two or more classes of antibiotics

  5. Results cont. At two of the WWTPs the MRSA strains found had more resistance to antibiotics. The chlorination step is what wiped out all MRSA from the effluent. Wastewater treatment does reduce the amount of MRSA and MSSA in the effluent. However, it is causing an increase in antibiotic resistance. The use of reclaimed wastewater becomes a public safe issue especially for the workers at the WWTPs and anyone who comes in contact with the reclaimed wastewater.

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