CRC MRSA PDF

Preface

Staphylococcus aureus continues to be a compelling subject. This bacterium has been extraordinary in reinventing itself and keeping one step ahead of therapeutic advances. First, S. aureus left penicillin in its wake, and now methicillin and the cephalosporins are becoming impotent antibiotics. Even vancomycin has been challenged in a number of ways as S. aureus continues to evolve its genetic make-up.

In writing about S. aureus infection assessment and management, the chapter authors of this volume were faced with a constantly evolving medical science. All of the authors are experts with a passion for providing optimal care to patients with S. aureus infections. We have tried our best to discuss S. aureus from a clinical perspective and to define how methicillinresistant S. aureus or MRSA has altered our opinions of gram-positive infections.

The chapters deal with separate but often overlapping topics related to the diagnosis and management of MRSA infections.We start with a historical note and work our way through the differentiation of communityacquired and hospital-acquired MRSA infections. Understanding the epidemiology of this bacterium as well as new treatment options were our major goals. These final chapters constitute our best understanding of this bacterium today, and the authors have done an outstanding job. Naturally S. aureus will continue to evolve and management options will need to be modified accordingly.

I sincerely thank all the authors who were kind enough to understand that this book needed to be completed expediently so that we could get current information quickly into the hands of clinicians. This is important since clinicians all around the world are facing an everchanging challenge from MRSA. This challenge involves not only the bacterium itself but also the type of disease that it causes. This book provides healthcare providers with current information on new treatment options as well as recommendations for prevention. While all the answers are not yet available, this book offers some assistance to clinicians.