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Morbidity and mortality of Staphylococcal bacteremia in children.

Hakim H, Mylotte JM, Faden 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.

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. CONCLUSION: 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.

Published 28 February 2007 in Am J Infect Control, 35(2): 102-5.
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