Treatment of outpatient SSTI in the era of CA‑MRSA
| SSTI | TREATMENT* |
|---|---|
| Simple cutaneous abscess (in a low-risk patient not involving face, hands, or genitalia) | Incision and drainage alone; obtain culture |
| Purulent cellulitis (without abscess): treat for CA‑MRSA if risk factors present | Tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or clindamycin |
| Nonpurulent cellulitis (no exudate): treat for β-hemolytic streptococcus | β-Lactam antibiotic (cloxacillin or first-generation cephalosporin) |
CA‑MRSA—community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, SSTI—skin and soft tissue infection.
↵* A detailed management algorithm is available within the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines 2014 update on SSTIs.74 All recommendations are level II evidence, adapted from the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2011 guidelines.65