New and emerging concepts in managing and preventing community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections occurring within communities are increasing and can affect healthy individuals who have had little to no experience with hospital or healthcare settings (community-associated MRSA, CA-MRSA). CA-MRSA infections have multiple presentations which can make diagnosis and timely treatment difficult yet often manifest as a skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) requiring dermatological intervention. There is emerging evidence of multiple environmental sources of bacteria that may contribute to recurrence. As with other infections, preventing transmission and recurrence depends on adherence to hand-washing and personal hygiene practices. Pharmaceutical intervention should be culture- rather than empirically-guided. The goal of this review is to provide dermatologists with a brief summary of the diagnostic features of CA-MRSA infections and updated strategies for management and prevention of transmission and recurrence of CA-MRSA infections, infections likely to present to dermatology offices.