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

• Main Authors: Emma K. Nickerson, Vanaporn Wuthiekanun, Varun Kumar, Premjit Amornchai, Nattavut Wongdeethai, Kheng Chheng, Narisara Chantratita, Hor Putchhat, Janjira Thaipadungpanit, Nicholas P. Day, Sharon J. Peacock
• Other Authors: Addenbrooke's Hospital
• Format: Article
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Immunology and Microbiology; Medicine
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/12085
• Institution: Mahidol University

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. Copyright © 2011 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.