Gladys Velázquez

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

INTRODUCTION 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. AIM To characterize clinical, phenotypic and genotypic isolates of S. aureus childrens samples with community-acquired infections, collected in hospitals of Asuncion and the Central Department, between November 2009 and December 2010. MATERIALS AND 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. DISCUSSION This study constitutes the first phenotypic and genotypic characterization of S. aureus associated with pediatric patients in Paraguay.