Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a Gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacterium that colonizes the skin and nasal passages of humans. The incidence of invasive S. aureus infections has increased over the past decades and is associated with poor outcomes and high mortality rates. S. aureus is responsible for almost one-third of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounting for a large proportion of these. The S. aureus strains prevalent inIndia are more aggressive and there are recent reports of the emergence of the more virulent multidrug resistant lineages ST2371 and ST8. Management of these infections is complicated by the fact that antimicrobial stewardship is non-existent, the choice of treatment is often empirical and available treatment options are limited due to a high prevalence of resistance strains. Currently available anti-MRSA agents include vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, daptomycin, tigecycline, and clindamycin. However, the emergence of resistant strains and several undesirable features related to the safety and tolerability of these agents have limited the options available for the management of MRSA infections. A newer, safe and efficacious antibiotic is thus an unmet need for the management of MRSA in patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. In this review we explore the current and future trends in the management of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections highlighting the challenges in their management in India, and current progress in the development of some novel drugs for the management of MRSA infections.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.