[Staphylococcus aureus skin infections: a hospital study]

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus skin infections [SSI] are common. The emergence methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSM is a growing concern. our study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and bacteriological features of SSI in a hospital department. This was a prospective study performed in the Dermatology and Bacteriology department of the La Rabta Hospital during a period of three months [February-April 2008, Were included all cases presenting with a primary SSI. For each patient wee collected epidemiological, clinical, bacteriological and therapeutic features. Twenty-five patients were included in the study concerning 15 men and 10 women, with a mean age of 47 years. Clinical exam revealed a unique lesion in 52%of cases. The abscess was the predominant clinical form [40%]. The bacteriological study isolated a Staphylococcus aureus in the lesion in 40%of cases and in the other sites of staphylococcus portage in 24%of cases. 32%of patients had MRSA. Dermatologists are increasingly faced with cutaneous infections caused by MRSA. Bacterial samples should be taken routinely and probabilistic antibiotic therapy for MRSA instituted in severe infections