Outpatient Management of MRSA-associated SSTI Infections
Outpatient Management of MRSA-associated SSTI Infections
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has recently been identified as the predominant causative bacterium for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in outpatient and emergency department patients. Given the increasing prevalence of CA-MRSA related to SSTIs, appropriate decisions based on evidence-based guidelines are essential in successful treatment. It is imperative for clinicians to stay informed about the epidemiological and treatment of emerging organisms in order to positively influence patient outcomes and eliminate the unnecessary use of antibiotics.
Over the past 10 years, ambulatory care visits for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) have grown exponentially. The number of outpatient and emergency department (ED) visits for SSTIs increased significantly and parallel with the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and antibiotics prescribed.
Pallin et al conducted a retrospective study of EDs in the United States and found that SSTIs were diagnosed 1.2 million times in 1993 versus 3.4 million in 2005. Fridkin et al found that a total of 1647 cases of CA-MRSA infections represented between 8% and 20% of all MRSA isolates between 2001 and 2002. Naimi et al did a 1-year prospective cohort study of 4,612 patients for epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of CA-MRSA with health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA)cases in 2000 and found that SSTIs were more common among community-acquired cases (75%) than among health care-associated cases (37%).
The rapid evolution of CA-MRSA presents a unique challenge for health care providers. As such, it is critical to raise awareness regarding the epidemiology, microbiology, and evidence-based treatment options for treating SSTIs in the age of CA-MRSA. Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued SSTI management guidelines; however, evidence indicates that clinicians are not consistently using these guidelines in practice. The epidemiology of CA-MRSA continues to grow, and the challenge is to use the most appropriate and effective therapeutic and preventive strategies against this pathogen.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has recently been identified as the predominant causative bacterium for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in outpatient and emergency department patients. Given the increasing prevalence of CA-MRSA related to SSTIs, appropriate decisions based on evidence-based guidelines are essential in successful treatment. It is imperative for clinicians to stay informed about the epidemiological and treatment of emerging organisms in order to positively influence patient outcomes and eliminate the unnecessary use of antibiotics.
Introduction
Over the past 10 years, ambulatory care visits for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) have grown exponentially. The number of outpatient and emergency department (ED) visits for SSTIs increased significantly and parallel with the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and antibiotics prescribed.
Pallin et al conducted a retrospective study of EDs in the United States and found that SSTIs were diagnosed 1.2 million times in 1993 versus 3.4 million in 2005. Fridkin et al found that a total of 1647 cases of CA-MRSA infections represented between 8% and 20% of all MRSA isolates between 2001 and 2002. Naimi et al did a 1-year prospective cohort study of 4,612 patients for epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of CA-MRSA with health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA)cases in 2000 and found that SSTIs were more common among community-acquired cases (75%) than among health care-associated cases (37%).
The rapid evolution of CA-MRSA presents a unique challenge for health care providers. As such, it is critical to raise awareness regarding the epidemiology, microbiology, and evidence-based treatment options for treating SSTIs in the age of CA-MRSA. Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued SSTI management guidelines; however, evidence indicates that clinicians are not consistently using these guidelines in practice. The epidemiology of CA-MRSA continues to grow, and the challenge is to use the most appropriate and effective therapeutic and preventive strategies against this pathogen.
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