Staphylococci in community-acquired infections: Increased resistance to penicillin

One hundred patients with community-acquired staphylococcal infections of the skin and soft tissues were treated in the Emergency Ward of Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital from June to October of 1974. Each staphylococcal infection was considered community-acquired if, within two weeks prior to being treated for the first time, the patient had not received antibiotics, had not been hospitalized, and had not been in contact with other recently hospitalized persons. Of 100 community-acquired staphylococcal infections, 85 were resistant to penicillin. Almost no resistance to other tested antibiotics was observed. Unless indicated otherwise by bacteriologic testing, penicillin is a poor drug of choice in those skin and soft tissue infections suspected of harboring staphylococci.