Background Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of infection, particularly in persons colonized with this organism. This study compared the annual prevalence and microbiological characteristics of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization in Taiwanese children from 2004 through 2009. Risk factors for MRSA were determined for the overall study period.MethodsChildren from birth to ≤14 years of age presenting for health maintenance visits or attending 1 of 57 kindergartens were recruited. Nasal swabs were obtained, and a questionnaire was administered. The prevalence and microbiological characteristics of MRSA colonization were also calculated for two 3-year periods: 2004–2006 and 2007–2009.ResultsCultures of the anterior nares were positive for S. aureus in 824 (25.8%) of the 3,200 children, and MRSA colonization was found in 371 (11.6%) children. The prevalence of S. aureus colonization decreased from 28.1% in 2004–2006 to 23.3% in 2007–2009 (p<0.01), whereas the prevalence of MRSA colonization increased from 8.1% to 15.1% during this period (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the independent risk factors for MRSA carriage were different for male and female children, and also among age groups. Most MRSA isolates belonged to sequence type 59 (ST59) (86.3%); however, a multiresistant MRSA clone with ST338 background emerged in 2007–2009. Ten (62.5%) of the 16 MRSA isolates expressed the genotypic profile ST338/staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec VT/Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive/staphylococcal enterotoxin B-positive, and differed only in their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.ConclusionThe prevalence of nasal colonization by MRSA increased among healthy Taiwanese children from 2004–2006 to 2007–2009, despite an overall decrease in the prevalence of nasal colonization by S. aureus. A multiresistant MRSA clone characterized as ST338 was identified from these children.

Among commonly used antimicrobial agents for the treatment of pediatric UTI, there is a trend towards increasing resistance to ampicillin and a persistently low resistance rate to gentamicin, cephalosporin, and nitrofurantoin. Parenteral first-generation cephalosporins, gentamicin, and oral nitrofurantoin should be considered for first-line agents, given the resistance patterns of this study.

Methicillin resistance should be taken into considered in patient with community-associated staphylococcal infections.

A previously healthy 31-month-old male child became acutely ill with dyspnea and high fever 48 h after admission for acute bronchitis. He experienced sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome throughout the subsequent hospitalization, eventually expiring despite aggressive treatment with antibiotics and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Blood cultures yielded ampicillin-resistant non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of fatal non-typeable H. influenzae sepsis and ARDS in a child without an underlying predisposing condition.