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Updated: Jun 26, 2026
12:18
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
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The Importance of Early Source Control in Persistent MRSA Bacteremia: A Case Report
1Department of Internal Medicine, Del Sol Medical Center, El Paso, TX 79925, United States.
Infectious Disorders Drug Targets
|June 20, 2025
Summary
Persistent bacteremia requires prompt source control. Surgical drainage of an occult abscess, even with a different pathogen, resolved Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus bacteremia in a patient post-spinal surgery.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Surgical Infections
- Medical Case Studies
Background:
- Persistent bacteremia poses a significant clinical challenge, often necessitating identification and control of the infection's origin.
- Antimicrobial therapy alone may be insufficient when the infectious source remains untreated, leading to potential complications and increased mortality.
Observation:
- A 59-year-old woman presented with persistent Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteremia after spinal surgery.
- Despite intravenous antibiotics, blood cultures remained positive for MRSA.
- A Technetium-99 tagged white blood cell scan identified an abscess in the right sacroiliac joint.
Findings:
- Surgical drainage of the sacroiliac abscess resulted in clinical improvement and resolution of bacteremia.
- Cultures of the abscess fluid revealed Enterococcus faecalis, not MRSA, highlighting a discrepancy between bloodstream and source pathogens.
Implications:
- This case emphasizes the critical role of early source control in managing persistent bacteremia.
- Successful drainage can be pivotal for systemic infection resolution, even if the isolated pathogen from the source differs from the bloodstream organism.
- Diagnostic imaging aids in locating occult infectious sources, guiding effective therapeutic interventions.
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