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Updated: Nov 15, 2025
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Factors associated with progression to infection in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-colonized, critically
Carly R Schuetz1, Patrick G Hogan1, Patrick J Reich1
1Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, US.
Objective:
To identify factors associated with development of symptomatic infection in infants colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Study Design:
This case-control study was performed at St. Louis Children's Hospital NICU from 2009 to 2019. The MRSA-colonized infants who developed symptomatic MRSA infection (cases) were matched 1:3 with MRSA-colonized infants who did not develop infection (controls). Demographics and characteristics of NICU course were compared between groups. Longitudinal information from subsequent hospitalizations was also obtained.
Results:
Forty-two infected cases were compared with 126 colonized-only controls. Cases became colonized earlier in their NICU stay, were less likely to have received mupirocin for decolonization, and had a longer course of mechanical ventilation than controls. Longitudinally, cases had a more protracted NICU course and were more likely to require hospital readmission.
Conclusion:
Progression from MRSA colonization to symptomatic infection is associated with increased morbidity and may be mitigated through decolonization.
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