Jamel Sawyer is one of a growing number of Americans to suffer from a deadly infection called MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). One of the most notorious multidrug-resistant superbugs, MRSA is responsible for an estimated 19,000 deaths and 360,000 hospitalizations each year in this country. Fortunately, Jamel survived the infection, but the disease left him paralyzed below the waist.
Jamel's story illustrates the twin dangers presented by emerging multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and the waning effectiveness and availability of drugs to treat them.