Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Queensland Indigenous community.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) carriage and infection among children living in an Indigenous community in Queensland.


METHODS
Swabs for culture of S. aureus were collected from the nose, throat and skin wounds of primary school children.


METHODS
MRSA carriage, antibiotic sensitivity, genotype, and presence of the virulence factor Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL); and epidemiological risk factors for MRSA carriage.


RESULTS
92 (59%) of 157 eligible children were included in the study. Twenty-seven (29%) carried S. aureus; 14 of these (15% of total) carried MRSA. MRSA was isolated from 29% of wound swabs, 8% of nose swabs, and 1% of throat swabs. Fourteen of 15 MRSA isolates were sensitive to all non-beta-lactam antibiotics tested. Eight children (9%) carried CA-MRSA clonal types: six carried the Queensland clone (ST93), and two carried the South West Pacific clone (ST30). All these isolates carried the virulence factor PVL. The remaining six children carried a hospital-associated MRSA strain (ST5), negative for PVL.


CONCLUSIONS
We have identified a high prevalence of CA-MRSA carriage in school children from a Queensland Indigenous community. In this setting, antibiotics with activity against CA-MRSA should be considered for empiric therapy of suspected staphylococcal infection. Larger community-based studies are needed to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of CA-MRSA, and to assist in the development of therapeutic guidelines for this important infection.
Vlack
Susan
S
School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.
Cox
Leonie
L
Peleg
Anton Y
AY
Canuto
Condy
C
Stewart
Christine
C
Conlon
Alzira
A
Stephens
Alex
A
Giffard
Philip
P
Huygens
Flavia
F
Mollinger
Adam
A
Vohra
Renu
R
McCarthy
James S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D044382:Population Groups; D011793:Queensland; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin