Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus isolated from Paraguayan children: clinical, phenotypic and genotypic characterization

Background: The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in the community has increased, being the pediatric population the most affected. This fact highlights the need for epidemiological surveillance.

Objective: To characterize clinical, phenotypic and genotypic isolates of S. aureus children's samples with community-acquired infections, collected in hospitals of Asuncion and the Central Department, between November 2009 and December 2010.

Methods: Descriptive and transverse analysis with analytical component. Clinical data collected by medical records, antibiotic susceptibility according to CLSI criteria and detection of mecA (encoding methicillin resistance) and luk-PV genes (encoding Panton Valentine leucocidin) by PCR using specific oligonucleotides.

Results: 123 isolates of S. aureus, 76% came from skin and soft tissue infections and 20% from sepsis. 18.7% (n = 23) were resistant to methicillin (MRSA). The presence of the mecA gene, a variant there and the PVL was detected in 12.2 and 48 isolates respectively. 43% of MRSA (n = 10) was carrying luk-PV. The clinical and demographic differences between patients infected with MRSA or MSSA were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: This study constitutes the first phenotypic and genotypic characterization of S. aureus associated with pediatric patients in Paraguay.