Staphylococcal Infections

The cause is infection with bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus, especially Staphylococcus aureus. The literature grounding also distinguishes methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, indicating antibiotic resistance as an important feature of some infections.

The grounding supports a disease process driven by bacterial virulence, immune evasion, quorum sensing, and drug resistance. Staphylococcal protein A and the ability to survive within, manipulate, and escape from macrophages are highlighted as mechanisms that help the organism establish and maintain infection.

Healthcare-associated factors are noted as important predispositions for infective endocarditis with staphylococcal origin. The grounding also indicates community-associated and livestock-associated MRSA as emerging sources of infection, and widespread antibiotic use or abuse is linked to increasing resistance.

Treatment is described at the drug-class and modality level as antimicrobial therapy for staphylococcal disease, with vancomycin specifically discussed for methicillin-resistant infections. The guidelines also cover management of complications and treatment of clinical syndromes such as skin and soft tissue infection, bacteremia, endocarditis, pneumonia, bone and joint infection, and CNS infection.