It is almost impossible to get through a shift these days with out seeing an abscess that is caused by CA-MRSA. As of the 2007 Antibiotic nomogram (2008 data not yet available) at University of Maryland CA-MRSA was only 70% sensitive to clindamycin, and >98% sensitive to bactrim and > 96% sensitive to doxcycline. A local community hospital in Baltimore is showing only 55% sensitivity to clindamycin.
As a New Year's resolution to yourself I recommend that you check with your local hospital's Micrology department to see what the sensitivities are to bactrim, clindamycin, doxycycline. If sensitivities are less than 80% it would generally be recommended that these medications not be used as initial empiric treatment.
For Baltimore bactrim and doxycycline should probably be the preferred treatment options.
