title: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization among Taiwanese children in 2005 and 2006.
abstract: From July 2005 to October 2006, a total of 3,046 children, of ages between 2 months and 5 years, presented for a well-child health care visit to one of three medical centers, which are located in the northern, central, and southern parts of Taiwan, and were surveyed for nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The overall prevalences of S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage among the children were 23% and 7.3%, respectively (18% and 4.8% in the central region, 25% and 6.7% in the southern region, and 27% and 9.5% in the northern region). Of the 212 MRSA isolates (96%) available for analysis, a total of 10 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns with two major patterns (C [61%] and D [28%]) were identified. One hundred forty-nine isolates (70%) contained type IV staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) DNA, and 55 isolates (26%) contained SCCmec V(T). The presence of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) genes was detected in 60 isolates (28%). Most MRSA isolates belonged to one of two major clones, characterized as sequence type 59 (ST59)/PFGE C/SCCmec IV/absence of PVL genes (59%) and ST59/PFGE D/SCCmec V(T)/presence of PVL genes (25%). We concluded that between 2005 and 2006, 7.3% of healthy Taiwanese children were colonized by MRSA in nares. MRSA harbored in healthy children indicates an accelerated spread in the community.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Chang Gung Children's Hospital and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linko, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. ychuang@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Yhu-Chering
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kao-Pin
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Po-Yen
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chih-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzou-Yien
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin