Emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage in children in Cambodia

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2011 Feb;84(2):313-7. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0300.

Abstract

We previously described the first reported isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (a case series of pediatric community-associated MRSA infections) in Cambodia. We define the rate of pediatric MRSA carriage in the same population and characterize the associated bacterial genotypes by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing. A prospective cohort study of MRSA carriage conducted over one month at the Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, Cambodia, identified MRSA carriage in 87 (3.5%) of 2,485 children who came to the outpatient department, and 6 (4.1%) of 145 inpatients, including at least two with cases of nosocomial acquisition. Genotyping of all 93 MRSA isolates resolved 5 genotypes. Most (91%) isolates were assigned to sequence type 834. Only 28 (32%) of 87 MRSA carriers identified in the outpatient department had no history of recent healthcare contact. The study findings have important implications for healthcare in a setting where diagnostic microbiology and access to antimicrobial drugs with efficacy against MRSA are limited.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cambodia / epidemiology
  • Carrier State / drug therapy
  • Carrier State / epidemiology*
  • Carrier State / microbiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / drug therapy
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / microbiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / drug therapy
  • Community-Acquired Infections / epidemiology
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology
  • Cross Infection / drug therapy
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Methicillin / therapeutic use
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* / genetics
  • Staphylococcal Skin Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Skin Infections / epidemiology*
  • Staphylococcal Skin Infections / microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Methicillin