Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Health Care-Associated and Community-Associated Strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Hospitalized Patients in Canada, 1995 to 2008

We determined the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities of 7,942 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates obtained from patients hospitalized in 48 Canadian hospitals from 1995 to 2008. Regional variations in susceptibilities were identified. The dissemination of community-associated strains in Canada appears to have contributed to increased susceptibility of MRSA to several non-beta-lactam antimicrobial agents in the past decade. Reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides was not identified.