Table 4.

Empiric antibiotic treatment and targeted organisms in microbiologic culture

A.	Culture results
	Pediatric		Adult
	MRSA%	Other result%	MRSA%	Other result%
Anti-MRSA therapy only	52.6	47.4	34.5	65.5
B
	Culture results
	Pediatric		Adult
	MSSA%	Other result%	MSSA%	Other result%
Anti-MSSA therapy only	37.5	72.5	35	65
C.
	Culture results
	Pediatric			Adult
	MRSA%	MSSA%	Other result%	MRSA%	MSSA%	Other result%
Double Coverage	62.5	37.5	0.0	44.3	21.5	34.2

MSSA = methicillin-sensitive S. aureus; MRSA = methicillin-resistant S. aureus.

NB : Patients (63 pediatric, 189 adult) with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) that were cultured in the ED and who received antibiotics are shown, with pediatric and adult patients considered separately. Tables are separated by empiric therapy given and the culture result targeted. 4A: Patients who were treated with empiric anti-MRSA antibiotics only. 4B: Patients who were treated with empiric anti-MSSA antibiotics only. 4C: Patients who were treated with double coverage (treatment with two or more antibiotics with gram-positive coverage).

Anti-MRSA antibiotics include antibiotics typically active against community-acquired (CA-) MRSA: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, doxycycline, clindamycin, rifampin, linezolid or vancomycin. Anti-MSSA antibiotics include anti-staphylococcal antibiotics typically ineffective against CA-MRSA (penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, fluoroquinolones).