Clinical presentations of soft-tissue infections and surgical site infections

Skin and soft-tissue infections that usually follow minor traumatic events or surgical procedures are caused by a wide spectrum of bacteria. Less freq uently, the infections occur spontaneously, which often is clinically confu sing and leads to delays in diagnosis. Most of the infections are self-limi ted and easily treated with local measures and/or antibiotics. Others are l ife-threatening, requiring prompt diagnosis and aggressive surgical debride ment in addition to the wise choice of antibiotic agents to limit tissue lo ss and preserve life. Many survivors experience critical tissue losses that may require changes in lifestyle as well as major reconstructive cosmetic surgery. Involvement of antibiotic-resistant gram-positive microorganisms i n these infections only increases the difficulty of their treatment and may have a significant influence on the ultimate outcome.