title: National surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among hospitalized pediatric patients in Canadian acute care facilities, 1995-2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Information relating to the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among hospitalized pediatric patients is limited. This report describes results of national MRSA surveillance among Canadian hospitalized pediatric patients from 1995 to 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveillance was laboratory-based. Clinical and epidemiologic data were obtained by reviewing the medical records. Standardized definitions were used to determine MRSA infection. Isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1262 pediatric patients were newly identified as MRSA positive from 1995 to 2007. Ages ranged from newborn to 17.9 years, 49% were infected with MRSA (51% colonized), skin and soft tissue infections accounted for the majority (59%) of MRSA infections and 57% were epidemiologically classified as community acquired (CA). The most common epidemic strain types isolated were CMRSA2/USA100/800, CMRSA10/USA300 and CMRSA7/USA400. Overall, MRSA rates per 10,000 patient days increased from 0.08 to 3.88. Since 2005, overall rates of CA-MRSA per 10,000 patient days have dramatically increased while healthcare-associated MRSA rates remained relatively stable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the increase in MRSA among hospitalized pediatric patients is largely driven by the emergence of CA-MRSA strains with skin and soft tissue infections representing the majority of MRSA infections.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matlow
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forgie
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pelude
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Embree
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gravel
authors.forename: Joanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Langley
authors.forename: Nicole Le
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Saux
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Aboubakar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mounchili
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulvey
authors.forename: Jayson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shurgold
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Simor
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vayalumkal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*