Staphylococcus aureus is commonly carried on the skin or in
the nose of healthy individuals. It is an important pathogen in human
infections causing illness ranging from minor skin infections and abscesses to
life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, toxic
shock syndrome and septicaemia which may be rapidly fatal. Bacterial resistance
to antibiotics has been recognized since the first drugs were introduced for
clinical use.
Penicillin was first introduced in 1941, when less than 1% of
Staphylococcus aureus strains were resistant to its action. By 1947, 38% of
hospital strains had acquired resistance and currently over 90% of Staphylococcus aureus
isolates are
resistant to penicillin. Increasing resistance to antibiotics is a consequence
of selective pressure.
In orthopaedics, S. aureus has been implicated in surgical
site infection, painful infection of joint fluid known as septic or infective
arthritis, post-operative infection, implant devices, infection following
trauma, chronic osteomyelitis subsequent to an open fracture, meningitis
following skull fracture.
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