Severe MRSA infections can be fatal. MRSA mortality rates tend to be highest in older people. Certain underlying health conditions can also increase the risk of death.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common species of bacteria. Roughly one-third of people have the bacteria living in their noses or on their skin.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph bacteria that’s resistant to several types of antibiotics. It’s a major cause of bacterial infections.

Antibiotics are drugs that are used to treat bacterial infections. When bacteria become resistant to many types of antibiotics, infections can become much more difficult to treat.

In some people, MRSA can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia and bloodstream infections, which can lead to death if they’re left untreated. Read on to learn more about MRSA survival and mortality rates.

While MRSA can cause a mild skin infection in some people, in others, it can lead to serious illness and even death. Most of the research into MRSA survival and mortality focuses on these serious infections, namely bloodstream infections.

While all people can get an MRSA infection, older adults tend to have more serious infections that require hospitalization.

Researchers in a 2021 study looked at the 30-day mortality rate of bloodstream infections with MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. In this study, the mortality rate was reported as the percentage of people who died within 30 days of hospitalization.

The researchers found that the 30-day mortality rate increased with older age:

  • under 65: 6.9%
  • 65 to 80: 10.8%
  • over 80: 33.2%

Another 2024 study assessed mortality due to S. aureus blood infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. It split people into two groups: older than 60 or younger than 60. The average age of participants was 63.

The researchers found an overall mortality rate of 41.9%. When they broke mortality rates down by age, participants older than 60 had a noticeably higher mortality rate (49%) than those younger than 60 (32.4%).

A 2023 report from the United Kingdom Health Security Agency compared 30-day mortality for MRSA blood infections from 2021 to 2022 with those from 2007 to 2008. Overall, it noted that mortality rates had decreased compared with the period of 2007 to 2008.

However, it still pointed out that mortality rates were highest in the oldest age groups, specifically in people 85 and older. Those between 75 and 84 also had high mortality rates.

While many MRSA infections affect the skin, MRSA can also cause infections in other areas of the body, leading to more serious or life threatening illnesses.

These include infections of the:

Some MRSA infections can also lead to sepsis, a life threatening reaction of your body to the infection. Sepsis can cause symptoms like:

In addition to age, several other factors have been found to contribute to MRSA mortality. Again, most of the studies on this topic have looked at MRSA bloodstream infections.

The risk factors identified can vary by study, but there are many common themes that increase mortality risk. Examples include other underlying health conditions and certain aspects of MRSA infections.

A 2023 study reported that, in addition to older age, additional risk factors for 30-day mortality from an MRSA bloodstream infection were:

  • having a urinary catheter
  • lack of quality medical care, such as a consultation from a hospital infectious disease team or inappropriate treatment
  • having hypoalbuminemia (low levels of albumin in the blood)

An older 2017 study identified risk factors for 30-day mortality from MRSA bloodstream infections that included:

Some evidence suggests just having MRSA in your nose without symptoms may increase mortality risk. Researchers estimate that about 2% of people have MRSA bacteria naturally living in their noses.

A 2021 study looked at mortality rates in people 40 to 85 who had MRSA in their nose but no symptoms. They found that the 11-year mortality rate for these people was higher (35.9%) than those without MRSA colonization (17.8%). The exact reason for this finding is unknown and requires additional research.

MRSA often starts out as a skin infection where the bacteria enters through a break in the skin and spreads from there.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people initially believe a MRSA skin infection is a spider bite.

If left untreated, MRSA skin infections can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious complications.

Because you cannot tell if a skin infection is due to MRSA just by looking at it, it’s advisable to see a healthcare professional if you have signs and symptoms of an MRSA skin infection.

The CDC recommends seeking medical help for skin lesions that get worse over 48 hours or happen along with a fever.

Medical emergency

Call emergency medical services or go to the nearest emergency room if you start to have symptoms of a more serious MRSA infection, such as:

  • high fever
  • shortness of breath
  • confusion

Here are answers to some additional questions about MRSA and mortality.

What age group is most likely to get MRSA?

While anyone can get MRSA, older adults are more likely to get an MRSA infection that requires hospitalization.

Can MRSA cause permanent damage?

Yes. MRSA skin infections can leave scars on the skin. Additionally, if MRSA affects other parts of the body, such as the lungs (pneumonia) or heart (endocarditis), it can cause permanent damage to these areas.

What is the life expectancy of someone with MRSA?

While many people can recover from a mild MRSA infection, more severe infections are associated with higher mortality or may cause permanent organ damage that could negatively affect life expectancy.

MRSA can lead to severe, life threatening illness in some cases. Mortality rates for MRSA, specifically MRSA bloodstream infections, are highest in older adults.

In addition to age, several other factors can increase the risk of death from these infections. These include underlying health conditions like heart disease and cancer, as well as several factors related to the infection itself.

Many times, MRSA starts as a skin infection. If you develop a skin lesion that gets worse over time or that happens with a fever, see a healthcare professional. Prompt treatment of MRSA can help to prevent complications and serious illness.