Epidemiology of staphylococcal infections--a USA perspective.

Data collected from the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance show that Gram-positive organisms, and Staphylococcus aureus in particular, are a major cause of nosocomial infections, especially wound infections, pneumonia and bacteraemia. Currently in the United States, approximately 18% of S. aureus isolates show intrinsic resistance to methicillin.