Staphylococcus aureus comunitario resistente a cloxacilina: Comunicación de los primeros cinco casos descritos en Chile

Community acquired infections with methicillin resistant strainsof Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have a more aggresive clinical course and involvemostly skin and lungs. These infections appear as outbreaks among prisoners, sportsmen, menhaving sex with men and military personnel. The higher aggressiveness of these strains is due tothe production of several toxins, mainly Panton-Valentine leukocidine. The detection of thegene that codes for this toxin is a distinctive feature of these strains. We report five patients withcommunity acquired MRSA infections. The clinical presentation was a skin infection in all. Onepatient had a pleuropneumonia in addition. Apart for resistance to beta-lactam antimicrobials,the strains were resistant to erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. Patients were treated withvancomycin, clotrimoxazole or intravenous clindamycin with a good evolution. Anepidemiological surveillance for community acquired MRSA strain infections should be startedand measures to adequately treat infected patients and avoid dissemination should beimplemented (Rev Med Chile 2008; 136: 885-91).(