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During the last decade, the incidence of skin and soft tissue infections has risen dramatically in the U.S., and skin abscesses caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) are largely accountable for this increase. Although surgical drainage of such infections was standard care in the past, many now recommend adjunctive antibiotic therapy. What are the benefits of antibiotic treatment for patients with adequately drained abscesses in the era of CA-MRSA?
To find out, investigators conducted a double-blind trial among children treated for skin abscesses in the emergency department of a St. Louis, Missouri, medical center. Participants were randomized to receive a 10-day course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxa…