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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
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Risk Factors for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization of Healthy Children

Babak Soltani1, Abbas Taghavi Ardakani1, Alireza Moravveji2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IR Iran.

Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology
|December 9, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Nasal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is common in children. Risk factors like young age, male sex, and antibiotic use increase MRSA nasal carriage.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus in children is a significant risk factor for infections.
  • Early detection and eradication of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are crucial for preventing community and healthcare-associated infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage in healthy children.
  • To identify associated risk factors for S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage.
  • To determine the antibiotic resistance patterns of S. aureus isolates.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 350 healthy children aged one month to 14 years in Kashan, Iran.
  • Nasal specimens were cultured for S. aureus.
  • Antibiotic susceptibility testing for MRSA was performed using disc diffusion and E-test methods for various antibiotics.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage was 26.2% (92/350), with 35.9% (33/92) of these isolates being MRSA.
  • High resistance rates were observed for cephalothin (52.2%), co-trimoxazole (33.7%), clindamycin (26.1%), and oxacillin (35.9%).
  • Independent risk factors for MRSA nasal carriage included male sex, age under four years, larger family size, recent antibiotic use or hospital admission, parental smoking, and sharing a bed with parents.

Conclusions:

  • Younger age, male gender, larger family size, recent antibiotic exposure, and parental smoking are significant risk factors for MRSA nasal colonization in children.
  • Understanding these risk factors is vital for developing targeted prevention strategies.
  • The study highlights the need for monitoring antibiotic resistance patterns in pediatric S. aureus isolates.
Abstract

Keywords:
MRSANasal ColonizationRisk FactorsStaphylococcus aureus

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