Skin and soft tissue infection: microbiology and epidemiology

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-8579(09)70541-2Get rights and content

Abstract

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are common and range in severity from minor, self-limiting, superficial infections to life-threatening diseases requiring all the resources of modern medicine. The classification of SSTIs can be based on the anatomical site, clinical severity or microbial cause, but some classifications divide SSTIs into complicated and uncomplicated infections. Community-acquired SSTIs are most commonly caused by staphylococci or streptococci, but almost any organism is capable of causing inflammation within soft tissue. Recent epidemiological trends have shown an increase not only in healthcare-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but also in MRSA acquired in the community. Many of the latter strains produce exotoxins and are epidemiologically distinct from healthcare-acquired strains. Factors that may affect the microbial cause include underlying disease such as diabetes or immune dysfunction; hospital attendance, injecting drug use, travel, animal contact and environmental contamination.

References (32)

  • MP Jevons

    Celbenin-resistant staphylococci

    Br Med J

    (1961)
  • RP Wenzel et al.

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: implications for the 1990s and effective control measures

    Am J Med

    (1991)
  • AM Bruce et al.

    Prevalence of community-acquired methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus in a private dermatology office

    J Drugs Dermatol

    (2008)
  • MS Dryden

    Complicated skin and soft tissue infections caused by MRSA: epidemiology, risk factors and presentation

    Surg Infect

    (2008)
  • D Nathwani et al.

    British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Working Party on Community-onset MRSA Infections. Guidelines for UK practice for the diagnosis and management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections presenting in the community

    J Antimicrob Chemother

    (2008)
  • SL Kaplan et al.

    Three-year surveillance of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections in children

    Clin Infect Dis

    (2005)
  • Cited by (134)

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text