Is the Burden of Staphylococcus aureus Among Patients With Surgical-Site Infections Growing?

Abstract

EXCERPT Surgical‐site infections (SSIs) are an important cause of illness and death among individuals receiving healthcare. 1 Staphylococcus aureus has consistently been reported as the most frequent cause of infections at surgical sites, and, because it is more virulent than other frequent causes, accounts for a large proportion of the morbidity and mortality associated with these infections.2,3 In this issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, a series of articles address various issues regarding SSIs and their etiology. 4‐8 A consistent theme among these articles is the gravity and frequency of S. aureus as a cause of infections in surgical patients, and the findings suggest that the proportion and clinical impact of SSIs caused by S. aureus may be increasing.