Necrotizing staphylococcal pneumonia in a neonate.
Hospitalized neonates are commonly colonized soon after birth with Staphylococcus aureus. The majority of neonates do not develop infectious sequelae; however, premature neonates appear to be more susceptible to serious infections, such as pneumonia. We report a case of an extremely low birth weight infant who developed necrotizing pneumonia due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal aureus (MRSA). The MRSA isolate from this neonate is identical to the strains that have been causing primarily community-associated skin and soft tissue infections. The severe course of this patient may be attributed to the presence of the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene, a well-known virulence factor leading to soft tissue and pulmonary infections.
McAdams
Ryan M
RM
Department of Pediatrics, Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, TX 78236, USA.
Mazuchowski
Edward
E
Ellis
Michael W
MW
Rajnik
Michael
M
D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D011023:Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / Q000382:microbiology*