[Skin infections with MRSA. Epidemiology and clinical features].

Staphylococcus aureus is the most prevalent pathogen in dermatology causing a broad array of pyogenic, community-acquired (CA) and health care-associated (HA), acute and chronic, superficial and deep skin infections which can progress to life-threatening systemic infections. The pathogen causes also toxin-mediated diseases with cutaneous symptoms. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains are not sensitive to the beta-lactam antibiotics available in Germany. Even though they cause the same skin infections as methicillin -sensitive strains, they are associated with greater morbidity and mortality because of their resistance to therapy. In addition to HA-MSRA in hospitalized patients with well-known and defined risk factors, there are new CA-MSRA strains which arise in the community or from, animal husbandry sources. These MSRA strains are also a problem in hospitals today. CA-MRSA strains often have special virulence factors, such as Panton Valentine leukocidin), and are often associated with specific often recurrent skin and soft tissue infections (furuncles, abscesses, necrotizing entities).