Antibiotic-Resistant Skin Infection Becoming More Prevalent

September 6, 2006 -- A drug-resistant bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, has become the most common identifiable cause of skin infections treated in emergency rooms, accounting for 59 percent of such ER cases in 11 major U.S. cities, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The methicillin-resistant strain causes painful skin lesions that resemble infected spider bites. In rare cases it can cause a lethal type of blood poisoning and lung disease. Researchers noted that it is important to correctly identify the bacteria, which caused around 3 percent of skin infections in 2000 nationwide, and to use a combination of incision, drainage, and antibiotics to treat the infection.

Several Institute of Medicine reports deal with microbes and resistance. The Resistance Phenomenon in Microbes and Infectious Disease Vectors examines microbial resistance as a health threat, including Staphylococcus aureus. Microbial Threats to Health: Emergence, Detection, and Response calls for an upgrade to America’s health infrastructure in order to quickly track and respond to microbial threats.

• The Resistance Phenomenon in Microbes and Infectious Disease Vectors: Implications for Human Health and Strategies for Containment -- Workshop Summary (2003)
• Microbial Threats to Health: Emergence, Detection, and Response (2003)

• CDC Fact Sheet on Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• New England Journal of Medicine Study Abstract