Original article
Is community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) an emerging pathogen among children in Brazil?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjid.2018.10.276Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is spreading worldwide, but little is known about the epidemiology of this pathogen in Brazil.

Objective

To evaluate clinical and microbiological features of children with S. aureus infections admitted to a university hospital.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study evaluating the potential risk factors for CA-MRSA, and a retrospective cohort evaluating in-hospital clinical outcomes. To include patients with both community and hospital-associated infections, we screened the results of the microbiological laboratory tests from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016. According to the phenotype, we classified the isolates in Methicillin-Susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), Hospital-Associated Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA), and CA-MRSA. Clinical data were collected from the patients’ medical records.

Results

We identified 279 cases of S. aureus infections (MSSA = 163, CA-MRSA = 69, HA-MRSA = 41). Overall, the incidence density of CA-MRSA and MSSA infections increased while the HA-MRSA incidence density decreased over the study period. CA-MRSA infected patients were more likely to present with skin and soft tissue infections (OR: 2.83, 95%CI: 1.54–5.33, p < 0.001) and osteomyelitis (OR: 4.76; 95%CI: 1.16–22.71, p = 0.014) when compared to MSSA and HA-MRSA infections. Unadjusted case fatality rates were similar between MSSA-infected patients (3.14%, 5/159) and CA-MRSA infected patients (3.80%, 3/79, p = 0.792), while HA-MRSA infected patients were more likely to die in the hospital (12.20%, 5/41, p = 0.013).

Conclusions

CA-MRSA is an emergent pediatric pathogen in Brazil. Our results highlight the relevance of choosing an appropriate initial antimicrobial drug for treating children with severe S. aureus infections.

Keywords

Staphylococcus aureus
CA-MRSA
Epidemiology
Clinical features
Children
Susceptibility profile

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