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The following is a summary of “Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in men having sex with men (MSM): a systematic review,” published in the March 2025 issue of BMC Infectious Diseases by Jong et al.
Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) outbreaks have been reported globally, with higher infection rates observed in men having sex with men (MSM), suggesting its potential as a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the public health impact, risk factors, and prevalence of CA-MRSA colonization and infection in MSM.
They searched Embase.com (including Embase and Medline) for studies on CA-MRSA colonization and infection from inception to 19 January 2024 and 2 independent reviekwers screened articles, with a third reviewer resolving disagreements. Only English-language studies meeting inclusion criteria were included, while 1 reviewer extracted data on prevalence, strains, and risk factors, which a second reviewer verified.
The results showed that 54 studies were screened, with 18 included for analysis and 3 distinct CA-MRSA clusters were identified in MSM in the USA and Japan. Screening in other MSM cohorts showed no increased prevalence of CA-MRSA colonization or infection. While identifying as MSM was not a standalone risk factor, behaviors such as intravenous drug use and high-risk sexual activity elevated the risk.
Investigators concluded that recognizing CA-MRSA in MSM with infections was essential for clinical decisions, that cluster infections warrant eradication strategies, and that further research on CA-MRSA transmission within sexual networks was needed due to limited global data.
Source: bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-025-10593-3
