Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2026

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

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

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

Aslıhan Sahin1, Esra Kaya2

  • 1Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Kahramanmaraş Necip Fazıl City Hospital, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye.

Turkish Archives of Pediatrics
|August 1, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections in children are often caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). MRSA infections show consistent susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, highlighting the need for local surveillance and infection control.

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.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildStaphylococcus aureuscommunity-acquired infectionsdrug resistancemethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureussoft tissue infections

Related Concept Videos

Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...