National Trends in Ambulatory Visits and Antibiotic Prescribing for Skin and Soft-Tissue Infections

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Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is the most commonly identified cause of purulent skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) in the United States.1-3 When cellulitis is a dominant feature, Streptococcus pyogenes is also a common cause.3 During the past several years, community-acquired methicillin-resistant S aureus (CA-MRSA) has rapidly emerged as a major pathogen among the SSTIs.2,4-8 In recent studies among ambulatory patients, the proportion of SSTIs caused by CA-MRSA ranges from 45% to 75%.2,5-7,9