Article
Staphylococcus aureus versus Streptococcus pyogenes in community-acquired hand phlegmona – Any clinical differences?
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Published: | September 20, 2016 |
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Objectives: Objective In "orthopaedic" infections, Staphyloccus aureus is rather related to abscesses, while Streptococcus pyogenes is marked with rapid spread, high systemic inflammation and even necrotizing fasciitis. We are interested if these two pathogens differ in clinical presentation at admission to emergency departments.
Method: Methods Retrospective study at Geneva University Hospitals. Exclusion of polymicrobial phlegmona, health-care-associated and paediatric cases.
Results: Results Among 126 episodes of hand phlegmona in the database, 33 were due to S. aureus and 9 due to S. pyogenes. In group comparison using the Pearson-Test, the Fisher-exact or the Wilcoxon-ranksum-tests, both groups did not differ stratified upon the following individual variables: gender, age, number of fingers involved, presence of abscess, immune suppression, pain scala, presence of lymphangitis, tumefaction, distention, fever, serum C-reactive protein levels, length of hospital stay or the clinical need for surgical re-intervention or duration of concomitant antibiotic therapy.
Conclusion: Conclusion In this very little single-center study, we failed to detect clinical parameters or consequences distinguishing hand phlegmona due to S. aureus from S. pyogenes.