Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome developing during burn treatment

We report a case of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) in a 5-year-old girl who had been hospitalized for burn treatment. When she developed an upper respiratory tract infection, she manifested extensive erythema and exfoliation. There was a purulent discharge from the ulcer caused by the burn, and exfoliation was observed in the surrounding area. Based on clinical symptoms and laboratory data, SSSS was diagnosed and treated with antibiotics, resulting in subsidence. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the posterior nasopharynx and the skin erosion and was proved to produce exfoliative toxin A (ETA). Infection from an asymptomatic carrier of an ET-producing strain was suspected, but we failed to identify the origin, in spite of a thorough inspection of the mother, nurses, and physician. SSSS is occasionally reported as a hospital-acquired infection. We should study the frequency of asymptomatic carriers of ET-producing strains so that we can formulate strategies to prevent such infections.