The proportion of Staphylococcus aureus infections in children due to methicillin-resistant strains has decreased, according to a study in Pediatrics and covered by HealthDay.
Researchers from the San Antonio Military Medical Center examined S aureus strains from 39,207 kids who had been hospitalized within the U.S. Military Health System between 2005 and 2014, looking at susceptibility of the isolates. The researchers then assessed clinical and demographic characteristics to evaluate for trends in antibiotic resistance.
The results indicated S aureus became more susceptible to erythromycin, gentamicin and oxacillin during the 10-year time period. There was measurable decrease in susceptibility to clindamycin, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
"Similar to recent trends in adults, the proportion of pediatric S aureus infections secondary to methicillin-resistant S aureus appear to be decreasing, as is variability in U.S. geographical resistance rates," the authors wrote. "Increasing clindamycin resistance among methicillin-susceptible S aureus should raise caution in the use of empirical clindamycin as presumed S aureus infection."
More articles on infection control:
Bacterial bloodstream infection linked to 18 deaths in Wisconsin
Consumer Reports rates hospitals on C. diff infections: 4 highest, 24 lowest performing teaching hospitals
Preoperative steroid injections may increase infection risk