An African strain of community methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Burundi refugee

Community strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are increasingly seen in Australia, particularly in certain population subgroups, such as Pacific Islander and Aboriginal people. We report the case of an African with community MRSA to highlight its existence in yet another subgroup. Given the increase in people arriving in Australia from Africa under the Humanitarian Program (with around 8500 arrivals from Africa in 2004-2005) and their wide dispersal around the country, it is possible that African community MRSA will be seen increasingly in Australia.