In , the newswires were rife with reports about an outbreak of a new strain of the flesh-eating MRSA bacteria mainly among gay and bisexual men in San Francisco and Boston. Although MRSA methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has long been considered a major public health threat, it was rarely associated with such a rapid and specific outbreak. What made the event so unusual was that many of the reported infections were passed during sexual activity, particularly among men who have sex with men MSM.
The infections were characterized by the formation of abscesses and ulcers on the buttocks, anus, and genitals, suggesting that sex was a new and unexpected mode of MRSA transmission.
Despite the fact that the outbreak was furthered along by sexual contact, MRSA is not considered a sexually transmitted infection STI. By definition, STIs are diseases in which sexual contact is a predominant mode of transmission. These include such common and uncommon STIs as:. By contrast, MRSA is passed by skin-to-skin contact and is not limited to sexual activity or intimate contact.
As such, it is viewed more along the lines of hepatitis A, which can be transmitted during oral-anal sex, or scabies , which can result from sexual or nonsexual contact. This is not only due to improper handwashing or the contamination of wounds and medical devices but also because hospital patients tend to be immune suppressed and less able to fight infection.
By and large, people who are immune-suppressedβsuch as the elderly or people living with HIV human immunodeficiency virus βare more likely to become infected than those with healthy immune systems. Immunosuppression coupled with sexual activity and multiple sexual partners created something of a perfect storm for MRSA infection in communities hard hit by HIV.
