1. Which of the following has not been identified as a risk factor for developing complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs) due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)? a) Recent hospitalization b) Previous MRSA colonization c) Prior viral infection d) Recent antimicrobial therapy 2. Challenges that make surgical site infections (SSIs) difficult to avoid include which of the following? a) Advanced age b) Chronic diseases c) Immunocompromised states d) All of the above 3. Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strains are typically susceptible to the b-lactams, so b-lactams can be used as first-line therapy against community-acquired SSTIs. a) True b) False 4. The goal with antimicrobial prophylaxis is to achieve high serum concentrations of the drug preoperatively before the skin incision, and then to maintain those levels during the operative period. a) True b) False 5. The microbiology of SSTIs from the SENTRY study showed: a) S. aureus to be the predominant pathogen in nosocomial infections in 45.9% of the cases b) Approximately 30% of the S. aureus isolates were methicillin resistant c) a and b d) None of the above 6. Which of the following statements about the characteristics of CA-MRSA is false? a) CA-MRSA is more prevalent in children, athletes, prisoners, soldiers, and IV drug abusers b) The staphylococcal chromosomal cassette is mostly Type II c) Antimicrobial resistance is mostly seen with the b-lactams d) Some of the associated clinical syndromes include SSTI, necrotizing fasciitis, and postinfluenza necrotizing pneumonia 7. The only time incision and drainage is not necessary for the treatment of SSTIs is in cases of cellulitis without any necrotic tissue or purulent material. a) True b) False 8. Linezolid is the only antibiotic with health economic data that illustrate the ability to discharge patients home early and decrease hospital length of stay due to the oral formulation. a) True b) False 9. Which of the following statements is false regarding oral antibiotics used to treat MRSA? a) Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole has very good activity against MRSA b) Most b-lactams are highly active against the CA-MRSA strains c) Clindamycin has the potential for inducible resistance d) Tetracyclines are quite active against most of the CA-MRSA strains 10. Difficulties with vancomycin that have resulted in its decreased effectiveness include: a) Vancomycin is slowly bactericidal (its killing is slower than the b-lactams) b) Vancomycin has poor tissue penetration c) Vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentrations are increasing d) All of the above 11. Which of the following antibiotics in clinical trials showed clinical superiority in the treatment of MRSA SSTIs and in SSIs? a) Vancomycin b) Linezolid c) Daptomycin d) Tigecycline