Morbidity and mortality of Staphylococcal bacteremia in children.
BACKGROUND
Staphylococcal aureus bacteremia (SAB) is a major problem in adult patients with a significant mortality. Less is known about SAB in children. The present study was designed to review a 5-year experience with SAB in a children's hospital.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective chart review from 2000-2004.


RESULTS
Thirty-six children experienced 42 episodes of SAB and ranged in age from 1 week to 16.7 years with a mean age of 30.5 months. Thirty-two (89%) of the 36 children had preexisting medical conditions. Thirty-six (86%) of 42 episodes of SAB were due to hospital-acquired infections, and 22 (61%) of these 36 episodes occurred in premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Only 3 episodes (7%) of endocarditis were identified, and 2 were community-acquired infections. Fourteen (39%) episodes of SAB were due to methicillin-resistant strains. There were only 3 (8%) deaths, and all were unrelated to SAB.


CONCLUSIONS
SAB occurred most often as a hospital-acquired infection in the neonatal intensive care unit, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal aureus accounted for one third of the episodes. Complications such as endocarditis or other metastatic infections and death because of SAB were infrequent.
Hakim
Hana
H
Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, 219 Bryant Street, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA.
Mylotte
Joseph M
JM
Faden
Howard
H
D000293:Adolescent; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D015897:Comorbidity; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*