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Published on: February 23, 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of community-acquired pneumonia

Curt Stankovic1, Prashant V Mahajan, Basim I Asmar

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, 3901 Beaubien, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. cstankov@dmc.org

Current Infectious Disease Reports
|April 14, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is increasingly complicating community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This review suggests updating antibiotic choices for complicated CAP due to rising CA-MRSA incidence and invasiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Pulmonology

Background:

  • Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) management is complicated by emerging pathogens.
  • Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a growing concern for CAP, especially severe cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the incidence, invasiveness, and antimicrobial treatment of CA-MRSA in CAP.
  • To recommend adjustments in antibiotic selection for complicated CAP based on current data.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on CA-MRSA and CAP.
  • Analysis of data on CA-MRSA incidence and clinical characteristics.

Main Results:

  • CA-MRSA is an emerging pathogen in community-acquired pneumonia.
  • Evidence suggests increasing incidence and invasiveness of CA-MRSA in CAP cases.

Conclusions:

  • Current antibiotic strategies may be insufficient for complicated CAP due to CA-MRSA.
  • A change in antibiotic selection for complicated CAP is recommended to address the threat of CA-MRSA.

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