Abstract
Postoperative infection is a significant cause of surgical morbidity and mortality.
The risk of infection after surgery depends on a number of factors, including the
type and length of the surgical procedure; the age, underlying conditions, and previous
history of the patient; the skill of the surgeon; the diligence with which infection
control procedures are applied; and the type and timing of preoperative antibiotic
prophylaxis. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, now implicated in many postoperative
infections, have been joined most recently by strains of S. aureus that show intermediate levels of resistance to vancomycin. Postoperative infections
caused by drug-resistant pathogens are more difficult to treat and are associated
with a higher morbidity and mortality. New antibiotics that are effective against
drug-resistant pathogens are urgently needed, as is renewed dedication to the prevention
of postoperative infection and to the use of the principles of infection control.
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