STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS CELLULITIS - AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION

Staphylococcus aureus has long been known as one of the most virulent microbes, with capabilities that make it threatening in both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. It remains the most frequent cause of skin-structure and traumatic infections in the community.(1) S. aureus infections in the maxillofacial region are likely to be associated with a known portal of entry, but this is not always the case.(2) Once invasion occurs, the organism may produce virulent enzymes including coagulase, hyaluronidase, proteases, DNA-ase, hemolysins, and lysozyme as well as exotoxins.(3) Markel et als point out that cellulitis associated with coagulase-positive staphylococci will often resolve without abscess formation. Hence, there is often no site from which to obtain specimens, making this infection a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. This report describes an infection in which the etiologic organism was identified as S. aureus. The source of the infection, however remained unclear. ,