Current and future treatment options for community-associated MRSA infection

Abstract

Introduction: Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) represents a global epidemic which beautifully encapsulates the fascinating ability of bacterial organisms to adapt quickly on an evolutionary basis to the extreme selective pressure of antibiotic exposure. In stark contrast to Healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), it has become apparent that CA-MRSA is less straight forward of a challenge in terms of controlling its transmission, and has forced clinicians to adjust empiric management of clinical syndromes such as skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) as well as pneumonia.

Areas covered: This review details the history and epidemiology of CA-MRSA, while covering both current and future treatment options that are and may be available to clinicians. The authors reviewed both historic and more recent literature on this ever-evolving topic.

Expert opinion: While development of new anti-MRSA agents should be encouraged, the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in the battle to stay ahead of the curve with regards to the ongoing control of the MRSA epidemic should be emphasised.

Keywords: Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection (ABSSSI); Panton-Valentine Leucocidin (PVL); community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA); decolonisation; outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT); pneumonia; skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI).