Staphylococcal Infections — From the Surface to the Depths

The strain responsible for most MRSA skin and soft-tissue infections is sensitive to many antimicrobials; daptomycin may be an alternative for systemic staph infections.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), traditionally one of our most formidable nosocomial bacterial foes, is now a common cause of community-acquired skin and soft-tissue infections. Meanwhile, staphylococci have retained their prominence as causative agents in difficult-to-treat systemic bacteremic disease. Two new studies address prevalence and treatment of staph infections.

Moran and colleagues conducted a multicenter, prospective investigation involving 422 adults with skin and soft-tissue infections who presented in August 2004 at any of 11 emergency departments participating in the EMERGEncy ID Net. S. aureus was the causative agent in 320 patients (76%); MRSA accounted for 78% of S. aureus isolates and was the most commo…

Reviewing Author

Stephen G. Baum, MD