Saturday, September 01, 2012
Antibiogram testing of pediatric skin infections in the era of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci aureus: an Egyptian University Hospital-based study.
Antibiogram testing of pediatric skin infections in the era of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci aureus: an Egyptian University Hospital-based study.
August 2012
Source
Departments of Dermatology and Venereology Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
Background Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococci aureus (CA-MRSA) pediatric skin infections have been reported worldwide. However, little is known about pathogens' implications in Egyptian children, and beta-lactams are still the empiric antimicrobials prescribed. This warrants Egyptian studies on antibiogram testing of pediatric skin infections.
Objectives To determine antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates from Egyptian pediatric skin infections to find out if we need reconsideration of the empiric beta-lactam antimicrobial therapy.
Materials and methods Throughout an eight-month cross-sectional study, antibiogram testing was conducted on bacterial isolates from pediatric skin infections. Determination of inducible resistance to clindamycin using D-test was performed for isolates susceptible to clindamycin and resistant to erythromycin.
Results One-hundred and 21 children (mean age 6.9 years ± 3 SD) presented with pyogenic skin infections. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococci aureus (MSSA) were isolated from 114 children, associated with group A Streptococci (GAS) in four of them, while GAS were the only isolates in three patients. A diagnosis of CA-MRSA was fulfilled in four children. Antibiotic susceptibilities differed between isolated organisms but with no statistically significant differences between susceptibility patterns of isolates from primary skin infections and those from secondary infection of skin diseases. Positive D-test was detected in five MSSA isolates.
Conclusions CA-MRSA skin infections are not common among Egyptian children and, therefore, beta-lactams are still effective empiric antimicrobial therapy for most infections. Antibiogram testing from suppurative skin lesions are, however, better to be recommended to guide individual therapy. Clindamycin should not be considered for susceptible isolates unless they are erythromycin susceptible or D-test negative.
Labels: Antibiogram, antibiotic susceptibility, CA-MRSA, clindamycin, group A Streptococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococci aureus, skin infections, skin lesions
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