Abstract

ENSINCK, Gabriela et al. Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections: 10-years' experience in a children's hospital in the city of Rosario, Argentina. Arch. argent. pediatr. [online]. 2018, vol.116, n.2, pp.119-125. ISSN 0325-0075.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5546/aap.2018.119.

Introduction: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are a common reason for consultation in pediatrics. Most of them present as skin and soft tissue infections; however, invasive infections have increased during the last decade. Objectives: The main objective was to describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of CA-MRSA infections. The secondary objective was to compare prevalence, clinical presentation and antibiotic susceptibility with a pre-study period (1/2004-12/2007). Material and methods: This is a descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria: children who have been diagnosed with CA-MRSA infection and admitted to Hospital de Niños de Rosario between January 2008 and December 2014. Exclusion criteria: recent hospitalization, previous antibiotic treatment or surgery, comorbidities or immune compromise. Results: Out of 728 cases of children with Staphylococcus aureus infections, 529 (73%) were due to CA-MRSA. The incidence rate of CA-MRSA infections varied from 12.2/10 000 hospital discharges in 2004 to 145/10 000 in 2014: 75% (391) were skin and soft tissue infections; 8% (43) were osteoarticular infections; 6% (30), pleuropulmonary infections; 5% (24), sepsis. There was an increase in the number of invasive infections in the second period, with no statistical significance (OR= 0.895; CI: 0.52-1.53). Gentamicin, clindamycin and erythromycin resistance remained stable throughout both periods. Conclusion: CA-MRSA infections were increasingly more frequent, mainly skin and soft tissue infections. An increase was observed in the number of invasive infections, with no statistical significance. Antibiotic resistance remained stable.

Keywords : Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Pediatrics.