Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

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

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Morbidity and mortality of Staphylococcal bacteremia in children

Hana Hakim1, Joseph M Mylotte, Howard Faden

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, 219 Bryant Street, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA.

American Journal of Infection Control
|March 1, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Staphylococcal aureus bacteremia (SAB) in children is often hospital-acquired, particularly in neonatal intensive care units. Methicillin-resistant strains were common, but serious complications and deaths from SAB were infrequent.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital-Acquired Infections
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Staphylococcal aureus bacteremia (SAB) poses a significant mortality risk in adults, yet data on pediatric SAB is limited.
  • This study reviews a 5-year experience with SAB in a pediatric hospital to understand its epidemiology and outcomes in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the incidence, sources, causative strains, and clinical outcomes of Staphylococcal aureus bacteremia in a pediatric population.
  • To identify risk factors and common settings for SAB in children, with a focus on hospital-acquired infections.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective chart review was conducted for all pediatric patients diagnosed with SAB between 2000 and 2004.
  • Data collected included patient demographics, preexisting conditions, infection source, microbial strain, and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Forty-two episodes of SAB occurred in 36 children (mean age 30.5 months), with 89% having pre-existing conditions.
  • Hospital-acquired infections accounted for 86% of SAB episodes, predominantly in neonatal intensive care units (61%).
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal aureus (MRSA) caused 39% of episodes; endocarditis and mortality were rare (7% and 8%, respectively).

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric SAB is frequently hospital-acquired, especially in neonates within the NICU, with a notable proportion caused by MRSA.
  • Despite the prevalence of MRSA, severe complications like endocarditis and death directly attributed to SAB were infrequent in this pediatric cohort.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction01:22

Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction

Bacterial meningitis is a severe, life-threatening inflammation of the meninges, particularly the pia mater and arachnoid mater, affecting the subarachnoid space, ventricles, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). If untreated, it can lead to significant neurological complications or death.Causative AgentsCommon pathogens vary with age and immune status. In adults, major organisms include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae. Streptococcus agalactiae (group B...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology01:26

Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology

Bacterial meningitis typically begins when pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae colonize the nasopharynx and invade the bloodstream. This process is facilitated by bacterial virulence factors, such as polysaccharide capsules, which resist phagocytosis and complement-mediated killing. Less commonly, bacteria reach the central nervous system via contiguous spread from infections like otitis media or sinusitis, through congenital or acquired dural defects, or...
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever01:26

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...