What is a recommended treatment for community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) with cellulitis?

Bactrim, which is a combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, is recommended for treating community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections, including cellulitis. CA-MRSA is known for its resistance to many standard antibiotics, and Bactrim has shown efficacy against this strain due to its specific mechanism of action that inhibits bacterial folate synthesis.

This antibiotic is often chosen for outpatient management of uncomplicated infections and is particularly effective in cases where there is no significant systemic illness or concern for more extensive infection. The oral formulation makes it a convenient option for patients who may be treated in an outpatient setting.

Other antibiotics such as vancomycin are reserved for more severe or complicated MRSA infections often requiring intravenous administration, while options like amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin do not have the effectiveness against MRSA strains and are not suitable for this type of infection.