Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia for the general physician: A narrative review of a metastatic infection with malignant complications

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is a multi-system disease associated with a 20-25% mortality in the UK setting. Many patients with SAB are admitted acutely unwell and are treated by the general physician. This review summarises the key management steps that a general physician needs to be aware of when treating patients with SAB. Successful management relies on appropriate empirical and definitive antimicrobial therapy, effective source control, accurate risk stratification and timely identification of metastatic foci of infection, as well as exclusion of infective endocarditis, which can be present in up to 10% of patients with SAB.