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Case Reports
. 2022 Oct:249:101-105.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.06.025. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Healthy Children during the First Year of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic

J Chase McNeil  1 , Marritta Joseph  2 , Lauren M Sommer  2 , Anthony R Flores  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Healthy Children during the First Year of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic

J Chase McNeil et al. J Pediatr. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

The early severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic was temporally associated with a reduction in many childhood infections, although the impact on bacterial colonization is unknown. We longitudinally assessed Staphylococcusaureus colonization prior to and through the first year of the pandemic. We observed a decline in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization associated with SARS-CoV-2 prevention mandates.

Keywords: MRSA; SARS-CoV-2; Staphylococcus aureus; colonization; social distancing.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Colonization trends and relationship to SARS-CoV-2 prevention mandates. A, Proportion of subjects colonized with S aureus at any body site at each time point of observation. B, Proportion of subjects colonized with MRSA at any body site at each time point of observation. The dashed vertical line corresponds to the initiation of local SARS-CoV-2 prevention mandates. There was a statistically significant difference in MRSA colonization in the prepandemic and pandemic periods (P = .04). C, Proportion of subjects colonized with MSSA at any body site at each time point of observation. There was a statistically significant increase in MSSA colonization in the prepandemic and pandemic periods (P = .005). D, Relationship between participation in prevention mandates and S aureus colonization.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sankey diagram of colonization dynamics showing shifts in colonization status by observation period.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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