Community-Acquired Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Children: Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Microbiology
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infections are a significant concern in pediatric populations.
• Understanding the prevalence and resistance patterns of methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible SA (MSSA) is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and temporal trends of community-acquired SA infections in children.
• To compare MRSA and MSSA isolates in terms of patient demographics, clinical presentations, and resistance profiles.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for pediatric patients diagnosed with SA infections between January 2022 and December 2024.
• Analysis of demographic, clinical, and microbiological data, including specimen type and antibiotic use.
• Comparison of MRSA and MSSA isolates for temporal variation and resistance patterns.

Main Results:

• Out of 26 pediatric patients, 17 (65.4%) had MRSA and 9 (34.6%) had MSSA infections.
• Abscess (53.8%) was the most common presentation, with MRSA more frequent in abscess isolates.
• MRSA isolates demonstrated high susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and low clindamycin resistance.

Conclusions:

• The proportion of MRSA and its susceptibility profile necessitate ongoing local surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship.
• Enhanced pediatric infection control and optimized empirical therapy, particularly for outpatient soft tissue infections, are essential.