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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
12:18
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Published on: February 9, 2011
Methicillin-susceptible, doxycycline-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Côte d'Ivoire
Olivier Lesens1, Rachel Haus-Cheymol, Philippe Dubrous
1Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Clermont-Ferrand, France. olesens@chu-clermontferrand.fr
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|June 8, 2007
Summary
Two outbreaks of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus occurred in French soldiers in Côte d'Ivoire. Doxycycline malaria prophylaxis was linked to nasal carriage of this resistant strain.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive Staphylococcus aureus strains are associated with severe skin and soft tissue infections.
- Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is a growing global health concern.
- Deploying military personnel to regions with endemic infectious diseases presents unique public health challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report and characterize outbreaks of PVL-positive, doxycycline-resistant, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections in French soldiers.
- To investigate the prevalence of nasal carriage of this specific S. aureus strain among soldiers.
- To identify potential risk factors associated with carriage, particularly prior malaria prophylaxis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of two documented outbreaks of S. aureus infections.
- Cross-sectional survey conducted among soldiers prior to deployment to Côte d'Ivoire.
- Nasal swabs collected for bacterial culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing, including doxycycline resistance.
- Statistical analysis to identify associations between nasal carriage and potential risk factors like malaria prophylaxis.
Main Results:
- Two distinct outbreaks of PVL-positive, doxycycline-resistant MSSA infections were identified in French soldiers.
- A prevalence of 2.9% nasal carriage of this specific S. aureus strain was found in 273 surveyed soldiers.
- Prior malaria prophylaxis with doxycycline was significantly associated with the nasal carriage of the identified S. aureus strain.
Conclusions:
- PVL-positive, doxycycline-resistant MSSA strains pose a risk to military personnel deployed to endemic areas.
- Doxycycline prophylaxis for malaria may be associated with the selection and carriage of resistant S. aureus strains.
- Enhanced surveillance and targeted interventions are necessary to prevent S. aureus infections in deployed military populations.
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