Clinical Characteristics of Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Canadian Hospitals from 2008 To 2010

• Main Authors: Kirk Ryan Leifso, Denise Gravel, Aboubaker Mounchili, Sherif Kaldas, Nicole Le Saux
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2013-01-01
• Series: Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/627871

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections were uncommon in children in Canada until the 1990s. Using a standardized case report form, treating physicians reported children hospitalized due to MRSA infections in Canadian hospitals through the Canadian Pediatric Surveillance Program in a 24-month period (2008 to 2010). Of 155 cases reported, 70% were ≤4 years of age and approximately one-third had an underlying medical condition. The most common clinical infections involved skin and soft tissue (69%), the lower respiratory tract (12%), and bone and joint (10%). Almost one-third had had contact with the health care environment in the previous year and 18% had a known household member with MRSA. Initial therapy with a beta-lactam alone occurred in 65%, while 22% included vancomycin. No child in this cohort died but 14% required admission to the intensive care unit. Of 143 reports of individual isolates, 93% were reported susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 63% to clindamycin and 50% to mupirocin.