Sepsis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sepsis, including details on septicemia, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment.

Management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Cosgrove SE, Fowler VG

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; and 2Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and endocarditis are serious infections that demand prompt clinical attention to ensure good outcomes. Of foremost importance is identifying and managing the source of infection and any associated complications. Evaluation for the presence of cardiac involvement is essential because inadequately managed S. aureus endocarditis is life threatening. Thus, physicians must aggressively negotiate treatment paths, considering whether the S. aureus bacteremia is complicated, whether foreign sources of infection should be removed or replaced, and whether surgical intervention is necessary. Selection of an antibiotic treatment is also an essential factor for optimal management. The increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections has created a tremendous demand for effective and safe antimicrobial agents other than the historic anti-MRSA agent vancomycin.

Published 8 May 2008 in Clin Infect Dis, 46: S386-93.
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