Cellulitis in Grade III ankle sprain requiring treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria

This case report describes a novel occurrence of a Grade III ankle sprain complicated by cellulitis. The patient ultimately required aspiration of an extra-articular fluid collection and treatment with parenteral antibiotics due to worsening of the infection despite treatment with second-generation cephalosporins. This individual's infection was consistent with MRSA-cellulitis. Cellulitis, in the context of a preceding ankle sprain, has not been reported in the literature; the resultant edema from the injury may have served as the nidus for infection. MRSA comprises a significant proportion of soft-tissue infections in the ambulatory setting, and physicians should incorporate this trend into therapeutic strategies for their infected patients.