[Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in wound drainage in children]

Abstract

Background: Skin and soft tissue infections are common in children. We wished to investigate the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in wound drainage from children in Norway.

Material and method: We conducted an observational study based on data from the Norwegian Surveillance System for Antimicrobial Drug Resistance (NORM) for the period 2013-21. Resistance data from wound drainage with growth of Staphylococcus aureus from children (0-17 years) and adults were included in the study.

Results: A total of 1 416 isolates from wound drainage from children and 7 623 isolates from adults with growth of Staphylococcus aureus were included. MRSA was detected in 33 (2.3 %) of the isolates from children and 95 (1.2 %) of the isolates from adults (p = 0.002). In children, the highest prevalence of MRSA was in those of kindergarten age (1-5 years, 4.4 %), compared to infants (< 1 year, 1.0 %) and children of school age (6-17 years, 1.7 %) (p = 0.011). Kindergarten children had the highest prevalence of erythromycin resistance (9.0 %).

Interpretation: The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in wound drainage from children in Norway was generally low, but somewhat higher in drainage from kindergarten children compared to other age groups. It is not generally necessary to take account of methicillin resistance in the empirical treatment of skin and soft tissue infections in children in Norway.