Related Experiment Videos
Nasal staphylococci in children--a follow-up study
Insights
Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in children increases with age, reaching 41% by five years. Most strains isolated after age two were penicillin-resistant, but early carriage did not predict later colonization.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus is common in the community.
- Longitudinal data on pediatric S. aureus colonization patterns are valuable for understanding transmission dynamics.
- Antibiotic resistance in S. aureus is a growing public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and trends of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in young children.
- To assess the development of antibiotic resistance in S. aureus isolates over time.
- To determine if early-life carriage predicts later colonization.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of infants from two South Wales towns was followed until age five.
- Annual nasal swabs were collected for S. aureus detection.
- Isolates were tested for penicillin resistance.
Main Results:
- S. aureus carriage rates were 10-15% at one year, rising to 41% by age five.
- After age two, approximately 90% of S. aureus isolates were penicillin-resistant.
- Consistent carriage of specific strains was observed year-to-year.
- First-year carriage did not predict five-year carriage status.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage increases significantly during early childhood.
- Penicillin resistance becomes highly prevalent in pediatric S. aureus isolates by age two.
- Early childhood colonization patterns do not reliably predict long-term carriage status.
Abstract:
Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus was studied in a cohort of infants born to the residents of two towns in South Wales. The children were followed up to the ge of 5 years, nasal swabs being taken annually after a more detailed survey during the first year. The carriage-rate of S. aureus reached a minimum of 10-15% at one year and then rose steadily to 41% at five years. From the age of two years about 90% of the organisms isolated were resistant to penicillin. There was a marked tendency for children to carry the same strains from year to year, but carriage during the first year of life did not predict carriage at the age of five.