Management by Primary Care Clinicians of Patients Suspected of Having Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections. Final Report

摘要

Purulent skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) requiring medical attention are often managed in primary care, although in the United States they account for only a small percentage of total primary care office visits. According to Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2005, this condition presents in less than 0.5 percent of outpatient visits, accounting for slightly over 2.5 million visits by just under 900,000 people annually. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen causing this condition. SSTI management is becoming more complex. The prevalence of SSTIs caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has been increasing rapidly, including in otherwise healthy individuals. CA-MRSA is a significant public health concern as it has the potential to develop quickly into an invasive skin infection and cause other life-threatening complications. Like other SSTIs, most CA-MRSA infections are managed initially on an outpatient basis in primary care settings. Therefore, it is critical that primary care clinicians recognize and appropriately treat potential CA-MRSA infections.