title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus empyema in children.
abstract: Over a 14 year period, there were 20 patients who presented with staphylococcal empyema from whom methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated. Twelve cases were community-acquired and 8 were hospital-acquired infections. Patients were treated with penicillinase-resistant penicillin, cephalosporin or carbapenem in combination with or without aminoglycoside. They were also treated with drainage or thoracentesis. However, they were refractory to treatment and 7 patients, 6 of whom were suffering from bacteremia, died. One bacteremic patient was treated with vancomycin and was cured. In an area of endemic MRSA, vancomycin may be the first choice in the initial treatment of staphylococcal empyema until antimicrobial susceptibility can be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murono
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaeriyama
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin; D008712:Methicillin