Characterization of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus From Children at Hospital Admission: Experiences From a Hospital in a German Metropolitan Area. Issue 9 (6th June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Selb, Regina; Albert-Braun, Sabine; Weltzien, Alexandra; Schürmann, Jacqueline; Werner, Guido; Layer, Franziska
• Is Part Of: Pediatric infectious disease journal. Volume 41:Issue 9(2022)
• Page Start: 720
• Page End: 727
• Publication Date: 2022-06-06
• Subjects: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- children -- community-acquired; Communicable diseases in children -- Periodicals; Infection in children -- Periodicals; 618.929
• DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003596
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-3668

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Since the 1990s, community-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) are described as emerging independent of health care. CA-MRSA is associated with the colonization and infection of healthy, immunocompetent younger individuals. While skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are predominant, life-threatening syndromes can also occur. Methods: In this retrospective study, we investigated MRSA stains isolated from community-onset infections and from MRSA screening of children at admission to a tertiary-care hospital in 2012–2018. In total, 102 isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing by broth microdilution, spa -typing, multilocus sequence typing, SCC mec typing and virulence/resistance gene detection by polymerase chain reaction. Results: The majority of isolates originated from community-onset infections (80/102), of these primarily from SSTI (70/80). Additional strains were isolated by MRSA screening (22/102). In total 61.8% of the MRSA carried the gene for the Panton-Valentine leukocidin ( lukPV ). Molecular characterization of isolates revealed various epidemic MRSA clones, circulating in both community and hospital settings. Most prevalent epidemic lineages were isolates of the "European CA-MRSA clone" (CC80-MRSA-IV), the "Bengal Bay clone" (ST772-MRSA-V), or the "USA300 NAE clone" (ST8-MRSA-IVa). Conclusions: Our data highlight the importance of CA-MRSA causing SSTI in children. More frequent microbiological and molecular analysis of these strains is important for targeted treatment and can provide valuable data for molecular surveillance of the pathogen.