In recent years virulent strains of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) have emerged in Western Australia. These imported novel strains have characteristics distinct from the endemic WA community MRSA strains which account for approximately 80% of all MRSA detected here.

WA Health has developed guidelines and resources for the management of people who acquire CA-MRSA with the aim of minimising the impact on them and their household contacts, as well as the broader community and healthcare services.

Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA)

Guidelines for the management of community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones in Western Australia (PDF 750KB) 

Resources for CA-MRSA

1. Fact Sheet - Community-associated MRSA (PDF 93KB)
2. Decolonisation instructions for patients (PDF 87KB) 
3. Hygiene advice to prevent spread of MRSA (PDF 71KB)
4. GP Summary - Management of CA-MRSA (PDF 131KB)
5. Information for groups when there is a case of CA-MRSA (PDF 76KB)
6. Infection control in primary care settings (PDF 83KB)
7. Decolonisation information for GP (PDF 88KB)

Australian Collaborating Centre for Enterococcus and Staphylococcus Species (ACCESS) Typing and Research (formerly GPBTRU)

In WA MRSA isolates from public and private laboratories are referred to ACCESS for epidemiological typing. Reports include CA-MRSA data and trends.

Reports are available for up to 12 months after publication on this webpage. If you would like a copy of an older report, please contact us .

ACCESS Typing and Research Western Australian MRSA and VRE Epidemiology and Typing report. June 2010 (PDF 308KB)