Current issues in the management of sinonasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen, contributing to both pediatric and adult infections in the USA. In recent years, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a source of public fear and outcry. In this article, we review facts and fiction of sinonasal MRSA.

Although the exact role of bacteria in chronic rhinosinusitis continues to be debated, the role of MRSA in these patients is even less apparent. When MRSA is involved, there are few to guide treatment. Oral, parenteral, and topical antibiotics are all used in the treatment of sinonasal MRSA. MRSA eradication has been advocated by some; however, there are few data to support the efficacy of eradication. Current treatment regimens by the authors are reviewed.

There is much that is not known about the role of MRSA in sinonasal infection, and the impact of sinonasal MRSA on the health quality of the community also remains undefined. Treatment outlines are presented; however, with the current state of data, these treatment preferences lack a solid, evidence-based foundation that is favored. Future studies will lay the foundation for more rigorously supported treatment algorithms.