Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in a department of pediatrics: a cross-sectional study
Published in: Italian Journal of Pediatrics | Issue 1/2014
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Background
We describe methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage at admission in patients admitted to a Department of Pediatrics.
Methods
All patients received a nasal swab at admission. A questionnaire was administered and molecular genetics analyses were performed on all identified MRSA isolates.
Results
We enrolled 785 patients, affected with both acute and chronic diseases. MRSA nasal colonization prevalence was 1.15% (CI: 0.5607%-2.093%). Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) nasal colonization prevalence at admission was 19.75% (CI 17.07%-22.64%). Only one MRSA isolate carried the SCCmec V variant; all other isolates carried the SCCmec IV variant. Five out of 9 MRSA-colonized patients had an underlying condition. Antibiotic therapy in the previous 6 months was a protective factor for both MRSA (OR 0,66; 95% CI: 0,46-0,96) and MSSA (OR 0,65; 95% CI: 0,45-0,97) colonization. A tendency to statistical significance was seen in the association between hospitalization in the 6 months prior to admission and MRSA colonization at admission (OR 4,92; 95% CI: 0,97-24,83). No patient was diagnosed with an S. aureus infection during hospitalization.
Conclusions
The majority of our MRSA colonizing isolates have community origins. Nevertheless, most MRSA-colonized patients had been hospitalized previously, suggesting that strains that circulate in the community also circulate in hospital settings. Further studies should elucidate the role of children with frequent contact with health care institutions in the circulation of antibiotic resistant strains between the hospital and the community.