Interim Advice for the Diagnosis and Management of PVL-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections (PVL-S. aureus)

The recommendations in this document have been produced by the PVL Guideline Development Group (GDG) convened in 2012, at the request of the Scottish Health Protection Network (HPN) Steering Group. Recommendations given in this guidance are the result of careful review and consideration of the evidence available, existing guidance, expert opinion and principles of best practice.

This document aims to provide advice based on best available evidence where it exists (otherwise expert consensus opinion), on the recognition, investigation and management of PVL Staphylococcus aureus (PVL-S. aureus) cases in Scotland. It aims to assist all healthcare professionals who are involved in the management of these patients, from Primary Care to Public Health. This document is based on the HPA Guidance on the Diagnosis and Management of PVL-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections (HPA, 2008) and some sections have been reproduced with permission from Public Health England (PHE).

Public Health England (PHE) is currently reviewing its 2008 guidance. As developments in the field have occurred, it has become apparent that advice is required not only for the management of PVL-S. aureus but for that of a wider suite of virulence determinants for Staphylococcus aureus and their resultant clinical syndromes. The UK GDG, therefore, has an overall aim of producing UK-wide evidence-based clinical guidance on the prevention and management of toxigenic Staphylococcus aureus (TSA) infections, excluding enterotoxigenic disease. The Health Protection Network (HPN) is represented at the UK guideline development group. Therefore, this document is an interim document that will provide advice for Scotland, while the UK group works on a more systematic approach to review the updated evidence. The HPN will review the recommendations proposed by the UK group and decide on the most appropriate advice for Scotland.