Can Ultrasound Differentiate Abscesses That Have MRSA from Ones That Don't?

A pilot study identifies small volume, irregularity, and lack of a well-defined edge as predictors of MRSA-related abscess.

Treatment of skin infections has generated enormous interest since community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was found to be the most common organism cultured from purulent skin infections (NEJM JW Emerg Med Sep 8 2006). Seeking to distinguish CA-MRSA–related abscess from abscesses with other organisms, researchers studied 605 emergency department patients with skin abscess who had ultrasound and culture data available.

CA-MRSA grew from 50% of cases. The CA-MRSA–related abscesses were more likely than others to have a poorly defined edge, to be small, and to have an irregular shape. Abscesses with these characteristics had a 58% chance of growing CA-MRSA (positive predictive value), and abscesses with none o…

Reviewing Author

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Can Ultrasound Differentiate Abscesses That Have MRSA from Ones That Don't?

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Reviewing Author