Emergency Department Management of Acute Bacterial Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

AbstractPurpose of ReviewAcute skin infections are a common Emergency Department presentation. Changes in microbial resistance to antibiotics have resulted in changes in management of these infections. This paper seeks to highlight these changes in management of cellulitis and abscesses with the new emergence of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcal aureus.Recent FindingsSoft tissue infections are most commonly caused byStreptococcus andStaphylococcus but other microbes are present in specific environments and can cause infections when patients are exposed. Simple cellulitis can be treated with beta lactams; however, purulent infections are more likely to be resistant and antibiotic choices should reflect this. Recently, novel antibiotics with extended half-lives have been created that allow for soft tissue infection treatments to be given in a single dose. These antibiotics could be useful in patients with soft tissue infection who are at risk for beta lactam resistance and will be topic of further research.SummaryAs resistance to antibiotics increases clinicians must but aware of these changes to best care for patients with skin and soft tissue infections.
Source: Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research