August 21st, 2009
Since the discovery of community‐associated methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the number of emergency department visits for skin and soft‐tissue infection (SSTI) has increased, and one report suggested an increase in the much larger setting of physicians’ offices. Dermatitis compromises the cutaneous barrier to microorganisms and may predispose to SSTI. Our objectives were to determine whether office visits for dermatitis or SSTI have become more frequent since the emergence of community‐associated MRSA, to describe the age‐specific frequency of visits for dermatitis and SSTI, and to determine whether dermatitis is associated with SSTI and whether the association strengthened over time. read more
August 19th, 2009
With increasing pressure to prevent methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, it is possible that there will be increased use of mupirocin for nasal decolonization of MRSA. Understanding the mechanisms, clinical significance, and epidemiology of mupirocin resistance is important for predicting how changes in mupirocin use may affect bacterial populations and MRSA control. read more
August 18th, 2009
Antimicrobial resistance may compromise the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis before surgery. The aim of this study was to measure susceptibility and clonal distribution of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) colonizing the skin around the surgery access site before and after the procedure. read more
August 13th, 2009
Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD), a common type of antibiotic associated diarrhea, is increasing in frequency and affecting patients outside of traditional populations. At one time CDAD exclusively occurred in hospitalized patients or frail elderly patients receiving antibiotic therapy. It is now occurring more commonly in younger patients who are relatively healthy and may not be receiving antibiotics. Co-factors that might explain this increase incidence and changing demographic are of great public health interest read more
