MRSA Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about MRSA, including details on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

Community-acquired MRSA bacteremic necrotizing pneumonia in a patient with scrotal ulceration.

Al-Tawfiq JA, Aldaabil RA

Internal Medicine Services Division, Dhahran Health Center, Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization, Room A-420, Building 61, P.O. Box 76, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia. jaffar.tawfiq@aramco.com

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is being recognized increasingly as a cause of community-acquired infection. The organism usually causes skin and soft tissue infection. Here, we present a patient with community-acquired MRSA pneumonia and review the literature. The patient, a 37-year-old Saudi male with no significant medical history was admitted with fever, respiratory distress and scrotal ulceration. Scrotal swabs and blood cultures grew MRSA. Imaging studies showed necrotizing pneumonia. Physical examination and echocardiographic findings revealed no evidence of endocarditis. The patient was treated successfully with 4 weeks of intravenous vancomycin. The infection appears to have originated in the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the scrotum, and subsequently led to necrotizing pneumonia. Community-acquired MRSA pneumonia has been associated with the production of Panton-Valentine leukocidin.

Published 18 November 2005 in J Infect, 51(4): e241-3.
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