Comparative molecular analysis of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from children with atopic dermatitis and healthy subjects in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Children with atopic dermatitis (AD) are more frequently colonized by Staphylococcus aureus than healthy children.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether any relationship exists between nasal meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) colonization and subsequent skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI).


METHODS
From 2005 through 2006, comparative molecular analyses of 23 MRSA-colonizing isolates from 133 children with AD, 44 MRSA-colonizing isolates from 490 healthy controls, and 12 MRSA-infecting isolates from 20 children with AD and concurrent SSTI were conducted.


RESULTS
Nasal MRSA colonization in children with AD was significantly higher compared with normal individuals (17.3% vs. 9.0%; P = 0.01). The molecular characteristics differed significantly between the MRSA isolates from children with AD and the MRSA-colonizing isolates from healthy controls. The clone characterized as sequence type (ST)59 (338)/pulsotype B/staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) V(T)/Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL)-positive/staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-positive accounted for half of the MRSA isolates from children with AD, and another clone, characterized as ST59/pulsotype A/SCCmec IV/PVL-negative/SEB-positive accounted for 61% of the MRSA-colonizing isolates from healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
We found MRSA colonizing the anterior nares of a large number of Taiwanese children, especially among those with AD. Analysis of our data provides evidence that links MRSA-colonizing isolates to MRSA-infecting isolates from concurrent SSTI in children with AD.
Department of Pediatrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, No. 325, Cheng-Kung Road, Section 2, Nei-hu 114, Taipei, Taiwan.
W-T
WT
Lo
S-R
SR
Wang
M-H
MH
Tseng
C-F
CF
Huang
S-J
SJ
Chen
C-C
CC
Wang
D000293:Adolescent; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin