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Persistent Methicilin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: Resetting the Clock for Optimal Management.

Thomas L HollandArnold S BayerVance G Fowler
Published in: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (2022)
A positive follow-up blood culture for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) while on seemingly appropriate therapy is a common and ominous development. However, the definition and management of persistent MRSA bacteremia is unstandardized. In this Opinion Paper, we identify the presence of bacteremia for > 1 calendar day as a "worry point" that should trigger an intensive diagnostic evaluation to identify metastatic infection sites. Next, we define the duration of MRSA bacteremia that likely constitutes antibiotic failure and outline a potential management algorithm for such patients. Finally, we propose pragmatic clinical trial designs to test treatment strategies for persistent MRSA bacteremia.
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