IDSA and ESCMID release new consensus statement for management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

The Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases released Part 1 of new consensus statements for management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, the leading cause of death from bloodstream infections globally. The new consensus statements, which include 7 consensus statements, outline a risk stratification framework that emphasizes diagnostic evaluation and supports more individualized treatment decisions. 

Current practice, which simply defines S. aureus bacteremia as complicated or uncomplicated, does not adequately capture the patient’s underlying clinical syndrome nor reflect how a patient’s condition can change during treatment. These infections are complex and dynamic, affect different parts of the body, evolve over time, and present uniquely in each patient. As a result, treatments and outcomes vary. 

“These new consensus statements provide a risk stratification framework to guide diagnostic evaluation and treatment decisions, including recommendations for follow-up blood cultures, echocardiography, imaging, and duration of therapy,” said Catherine Liu, M.D., Professor in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine.   

The new consensus statements, developed by a joint team of adult and pediatric experts from IDSA and ESCMID, give clinicians a roadmap for assessing the severity of infection, whether it has spread to deep tissues or organs, and how a risk stratification approach can be useful for determining duration of antibiotic therapy.

“It is important for the clinician to identify risk factors for disease severity and infectious complications, which may be inapparent at first, to inform appropriate antibiotic selection and treatment duration for each patient,” said Henry F. Chambers, M.D., Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

When developing each consensus statement, the panel considered benefits, harms, and feasibility of implementation, while also providing practical advice and highlighting key research gaps.  

“The seven questions we set out to answer shape how a clinician should approach each patient, from risk stratification to diagnostic evaluation to classification of a patient’s final diagnosis and treatment duration,” said François Vandenesch, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Center for Integrative Research in Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the University of Lyon, France.

“We see these consensus statements as the starting point for how patients with S. aureus bacteremia should be evaluated, and continued research will be needed to assess its real-world impact,” said Winfried V. Kern, M.D., Professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases at the Medical Centre - University of Freiburg, Germany. 

In addition to Dr. Liu, Dr. Chambers, Dr. Vandenesch and Dr. Kern, study authors include: Cesar Arias, Thomas Benfield, Douglas Black, Helen W. Boucher, Aubrey J. Cunnington, Vance G. Fowler, Jr., Barbara Hasse, Marisa Holubar, Achim J. Kaasch, Lara A. Kahale, Vincent Le Moing, Martin Llewelyn, Luis Eduardo López Cortés, J. Chase McNeil, Loren G. Miller, Mical Paul, Kyle J. Popovich, Siegbert Rieg, Mark E. Rupp, Marc H. Scheetz, Bo Shopsin, Alex Soriano, Luke Strnad, and Steven Y.C. Tong.

About IDSA
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000 clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity’s smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Visit idsociety.org to learn more.

About ESCMID
The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases is a dynamic community of professionals committed to medical progress and shaping the future of healthcare. By uniting over 15,000 members as well as 45,000 affiliated members through 77 national and international affiliated societies, ESCMID provides support, guidance and scientific expertise to advance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases worldwide. Learn more at escmid.org.