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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in children in Brazil

Juliana Lamaro-Cardoso1, Mariana Castanheira, Renato Mauricio de Oliveira

  • 1Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia-Goiás 74605-050, Brazil.

Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
|January 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage in Brazilian infants is understudied. This study found MRSA in 1.02% of young children, suggesting potential community spread from hospitals.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant global health threat.
  • Data on MRSA nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage in Brazilian infants and young children are limited.
  • Understanding pediatric MRSA colonization is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of MRSA NP carriage in Brazilian children under five years old.
  • To characterize the genetic features of isolated MRSA strains.
  • To investigate the potential origin and transmission dynamics of pediatric MRSA.

Main Methods:

  • Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from 686 children under five with respiratory tract infections or meningitis.
  • Bacterial isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA.
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, including oxacillin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC).
  • Molecular typing using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and SCCmec typing.

Main Results:

  • Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 13.5% of NP specimens.
  • MRSA was identified in 1.02% of specimens, all harboring SCCmec type III.
  • PFGE analysis indicated divergence from endemic hospital-acquired MRSA clones.
  • MRSA strains were detected within 6 hours of hospital admission.

Conclusions:

  • MRSA carriage in Brazilian infants and young children is low but present.
  • The SCCmec type III and multidrug-resistant profile suggest a potential hospital origin for these MRSA strains.
  • These findings raise concerns about the emergence and community spread of hospital-associated MRSA in the pediatric population.

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