Medical conditions that lead to immunosuppression increase the risk of MRSA infection. Participating in contact sports, sharing towels or other personal items, living in areas with unsanitary conditions, or living in crowded conditions, such as in dormitories or military barracks may also increase the risk of becoming infected with MRSA.
Health care workers, the very young, and the elderly are at increased risk of infection. Skin punctures, wounds, or both increase infection risk by providing an entry point for the organism. Hospitalized patients are at risk of infection from health care workers with contaminated hands and from other MRSA carriers. Intravenous (IV) lines, surgical sites, and implanted devices can be easily contaminated with MRSA if infection control precautions are not followed.
