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Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the rates of antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus from skin and wound infections reported from nine regions of the USA during 2005–07 and to identify the regional variation in patterns of resistance. Methods The Surveillance Network (TSN) comprises 296 laboratories across the nine census regions of the USA. TSN laboratories reported the susceptibility data for six antimicrobials by isolate with source and other relevant data. Antimicrobial susceptibility data were analysed by individual drug resistance, multidrug resistance and geographical distribution of resistance phenotypes. Results There were over 380 000 isolates of S. aureus tested and reported for the period 2005–07. Methicillin resistance was observed in 57.8% in 2007, with little change from 2005. There was little difference in rates of methicillin resistance between community and hospital strains, although strains from intensive care units (ICUs) tended to be slightly more resistant overall. Resistance to other antimicrobials was also reported. A regional variation in resistance rates was noted with the highest rates in the Central states and lowest in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. There was high activity observed with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and gentamicin. Linezolid resistance was rare. Oxacillin resistance was similar among paediatric and elderly cohorts, whereas ciprofloxacin and clindamycin resistance was significantly (P Conclusions S. aureus has become methicillin-resistant in both the community and hospital settings; however, little change has been seen in the past 3 years. Multiresistant strains now are seen in all settings, but due to regional variation, empirical therapy should be guided by local susceptibility patterns. Currently, among the agents studied, only trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin and linezolid exhibit susceptibility rates of >95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 420 delegates participated in this, the fourth of a biennial series of scientific meetings, drawing from 30 or more nations and encompassing the specialties of infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, pulmonary and general medicine and Industry inter alia. The 2007 Forum was chaired by Professors Antoni Torres Marti, Giuliana Gialdroni Grassi and Dr Peter Ball and received academic endorsement from the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), Italian Society for Chemotherapy, Spanish Pulmonology Society, Paul Ehrlich Society and the Société de Pneumologie de Langue Français. The Scientific Programme was scientifically and financially supported by the BSAC and a consortium of pharmaceutical companies. Discussion focused on key contemporary issues in respiratory tract infection (RTI), including the impact of antibiotic resistance on clinical outcomes and the continuing need for antibiotic conservation via evolving guidelines, the challenges of avian influenza, nosocomial RTIs and the emergence of new pathogens, e.g. community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, novel antimicrobial agents, disease definitions (e.g. healthcare-associated pneumonia) and therapeutic assessment criteria, such as patient-reported outcome measures, in improving RTI management. The entire meeting was granted CME recognition (18 sessions) by the European Accreditation Council for continuing medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]