title: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus: diagnosis and treatment update for plastic surgeons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  : After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Identify risk factors associated with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. 2. Recognize the clinical presentation of patients with community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus. 3. Understand the treatment and indications for decolonization of patients who have community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  : Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has evolved over the past 10 years as a new health threat seen by plastic surgeons and is an increasing cause of soft-tissue infections. This pathogen has several distinct virulence factors and unique antimicrobial susceptibilities that distinguish methicillin-resistant S. aureus from traditional hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus. This article reviews the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, and treatment of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus.
authors.affiliation: Madison, Wis. From the Divisions of Plastic Surgery and Infectious Disease, University of Wisconsin.
authors.forename: D Heath
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Stacey
authors.forename: Barry C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Samuel O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Poore
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bentz
authors.forename: Karol A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gutowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013518:Surgery, Plastic