Resistance to methicillin (the first beta-lactamase stable penicillin and precursor to flu/cloxacillin) was first seen amongst hospital isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in the early sixties. Since then methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has become widespread in hospitals and particularly intensive care units around the world . In addition, resistance to methicillin has extended to other antimicrobial groups including macrolides, quinolones and aminoglycosides such that the term MRSA is also often used as an abbreviation for multiplyresistant S. aureus. MRSA is now one of the most common causes of bacterial hospital infections, accounting for 40 - 70% of the S. aureus infections in intensive care units. This is particularly the case in the local setting where prevalence of MRSA is amongst the highest in Europepeer-reviewe
