ID Consultation, Source Control, and Bacteriuria All Affect Outcomes in S. aureus Bloodstream Infection

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is linked to excess mortality that can exceed 20%. Age, comorbidities, immunosuppression, and foci such as pneumonia and endocarditis represent unmodifiable risk factors for mortality, but parameters such as source control and its timing as well as appropriateness of antibiotic therapy can be optimized to improve outcomes.

In a retrospective study, Swiss researchers analyzed clinical parameters in relation to mortality associated with 839 SAB episodes at their institution between 2015 and 2021. The most common foci were bone and joint (32%), endocarditis (14%), lower respiratory tract (9%), and central catheters (9%); 19% of cases showed no obvious focus. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus occurred in 8% o…