title: The changing pattern of severe neonatal staphylococcal infection: a 10-year study.
abstract: Forty-two cases of severe staphylococcal infection occurring over a 10-year period in the neonatal unit at Queen Mary Hospital are described. There was a 4.5-fold increase in incidence in the latter half of the study period, when methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) emerged. The isolated MRSA were also resistant to gentamicin, but sensitive to vancomycin, fusidic acid, co-trimoxazole and amikacin. Comparison between MRSA and methicillin-sensitive cases showed that the former was associated with a longer hospital stay after diagnosis. Overall mortality was 9.5%. Two cases with meningitis died. MRSA is at least as virulent as its methicillin-sensitive counterparts. The treatment implications of severe neonatal staphylococcal infection are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008712:Methicillin