title: Risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the clinical variables that differentiate MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) from MSSA (Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases having culture isolates of Staphylococcus species were recruited. Baseline and other laboratory parameters were compared between MSSA and MRSA sub-groups to identify the predictors for MRSA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 98 isolates of S.aureus, 46 (47%) were MRSA. Significant leukocytosis was found in cases with MRSA (P <t0.03). None of the other clinical variables could differentiate MRSA from MSSA infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presence of leukocytosis was twice more likely to predict MRSA than MSSA at admission. Empiric therapy must be guided by antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of regional culture isolates.
authors: Departments of Pediatrics and *Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India. Correspondence: Dr Niranjan Biswal, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, JIPMER, Pondicherry-605006, India. drnbiswal@yahoo.com.
authors: Kandasamy
authors: K
authors: Senthilkumar
authors: Niranjan
authors: N
authors: Biswal
authors: Sujatha
authors: S
authors: Sistla
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*