Evaluation of the LightCycler Staphylococcus M GRADE kits on positive blood cultures that contained gram-positive cocci in clusters.

We evaluated the Roche LightCycler Staphylococcus M(GRADE) kits to differentiate between Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci in blood cultures growing clusters of gram-positive cocci. Testing 100 bottles (36 containing S. aureus), the assay was 100% sensitive and 98.

What's new in antibiotics?

Antibiotics are important agents in dermatologic practice. New drugs have expanded the therapeutic approach to uncomplicated skin infections and complicated infections involving deeper soft tissue or infections that require surgical intervention. This article reviews new antibiotics of dermatologic importance, including daptomycin (cyclic lipopeptide), linezolid (oxazolidinone), quinupristin-dalfopristin (streptogramins), moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin (fluoroquinolones), and dalbavancin and oritavancin, which are presently under investigation.

The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the community.

Infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), long endemic in hospitals and nursing homes, are now being reported in the community as well. While we await further epidemiological and microbiological study of this emerging pathogen, current clinical practice requires a reconsideration of the empiric use of beta-lactam agents for the seriously ill patient with a gram-positive infection.