Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in children with atopic dermatitis from 1999 to 2014: A longitudinal...

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Rising rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections in the general population.
• Limited research on MRSA prevalence specifically within the atopic dermatitis (AD) population.
• Absence of prior MRSA prevalence studies in Australian paediatric AD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of MRSA and other bacterial organisms in children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD).
• To analyze trends in MRSA prevalence in this population over a 15-year period (1999-2014).
• To identify potential associations between MRSA and patient factors such as hospital admissions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of skin swab results and patient data for 298 children (aged 0-18 years) with AD.
• Data collected from a large teaching hospital in South Australia between 1999 and 2014.
• Logistic regression used to assess changes in prevalence of MRSA, methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), and Streptococcus spp. over time.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in MRSA prevalence was observed over the study period, with likelihood increasing from approximately threefold to 24-fold.
• Positive association found between the number of prior hospital admissions and MRSA positivity (OR=1.16).
• No significant changes in the prevalence of MSSA or Streptococcus spp. were detected over the 15 years.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of MRSA in children with atopic dermatitis is demonstrably increasing.
• This trend has adverse implications for individual patient health and represents a growing public health concern.
• Further research and public health strategies are warranted to address rising MRSA rates in this vulnerable population.