Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) outbreaks continue in several countries and appear to be endemic in many. Certain MRSA can be as virulent as methicillin-sensitiveS. aureusisolates. The complexity of the genetic basis of the different types of phenotypic expression of methicillin resistance continues to be unraveled. Broth enrichment of screening swabs can improve sensitivity of MRSA detection but should be used with caution. Typing methods have been reassessed and new ones developed; there is much room for improvement and a less expensive typing system. We also need good markers for virulence and epidemicity. Guidelines have been revised for the control of MRSA outbreaks in the United Kingdom and may be more applicable elsewhere in the world than previous recommendations. The emergence of resistance to additional antibiotics, in particular ciprofloxacin and mupirocin, is a disturbing development, and prescribing habits need to be watched closely.