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Updated: May 28, 2026

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

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Higher incidence of perineal community acquired MRSA infections among toddlers

Alexis C McCullough1, Melissa Seifried, Xiaochen Zhao

  • 1The University of Toledo College of Medicine, OH 43614, USA.

BMC Pediatrics
|October 29, 2011
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Community-acquired MRSA (CAMRSA) skin infections in children are often caused by the USA300 strain. Toddlers are more prone to perineal infections, while older children experience extremity infections.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Rising pediatric Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections necessitated an investigation into clinical characteristics and strain profiles.
  • Mercy Children's Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, observed a six-fold increase in pediatric MRSA cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the clinical profile of pediatric MRSA infections.
  • To characterize the specific strains of MRSA responsible for these infections in children.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of pediatric patients with MRSA-positive cultures from June 1 to December 31, 2007.
  • Strain typing included pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), DiversiLab, SCCmec typing, and PCR for lukSF-PV, ACME, and cap5 genes.

Main Results:

  • Of 63 patients, 92% had community-acquired MRSA (CAMRSA), primarily causing skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI).
  • Perineal infections were more common in children under 3 years (76%), while extremity infections predominated in older age groups (p < 0.001).
  • All CAMRSA strains were identified as USA300 PFGE type, clindamycin-susceptible, SCCmec type IVa, and lukSF-PV positive, with high prevalence of ACME and cap5 genes.

Conclusions:

  • CAMRSA SSTIs show age-specific predilection: perineal in toddlers and extremities in older children.
  • The predominant infecting strain was consistently USA300 PFGE.
  • Further research is required to elucidate the specific virulence and colonization factors of USA300 strains in pediatric infections.

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