The many faces of Staphylococcus aureus infection. Recognizing and managing its life-threatening manifestations.

Serious infections caused by S aureus, particularly those associated with bloodstream infection, are rapidly increasing in frequency, likely as a result of the proliferation of invasive procedures, the increasing severity of illness of hospitalized patients, suboptimal adherence to infection control practices, selection of resistant strains by antibiotic use, high rates of injecting drug use, and diabetes mellitus. In many cases, being aware of the clinical manifestations and treatment of S aureus can help to decrease the incidence of these infections and promote better care for patients who have been--or could be--exposed to the pathogen.