TY - JOUR

T1 - Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in children <6 years old

T2 - a retrospective follow-up study of the natural course and effectiveness of decolonization treatment

AU - Helbo, Thomas

AU - Boel, Jonas Bredtoft

AU - Bartels, Mette Damkjær

AU - Ahlström, Magnus Glindvad

AU - Holzknecht, Barbara Juliane

AU - Eriksen, Helle Brander

N1 - © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - BACKGROUND: Decolonization treatment of MRSA carriers is recommended in Denmark, except in households with MRSA-positive children <2 years old (wait-and-see approach).OBJECTIVES: To investigate a wait-and-see approach in children 2-5 years old, and the effect of decolonization treatment of MRSA carriage in all children <6 years old.PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective follow-up study, we included MRSA carriers <6 years old in the Capital Region of Denmark from 2007 to 2021. Data were collected from laboratory information systems and electronic patient records. We divided children into age groups of <2 years or 2-5 years and decolonization treatment versus no treatment. Treatment was chlorhexidine body washes and nasal mupirocin, sometimes supplemented with systemic antibiotics. Children were followed until becoming MRSA free, or censoring. The probability of becoming MRSA free was investigated with Cox regression (higher HRs indicate faster decolonization).RESULTS: Of 348 included children, 226 were <2 years old [56/226 (25%) received treatment] and 122 were 2-5 years old [90/122 (74%) received treatment]. Multivariable analyses did not show a larger effect of decolonization treatment versus no treatment in <2-year-olds (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.52-1.65) or 2-5-year-olds (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.26-1.12). Without treatment, 2-5-year-olds tended to clear MRSA faster than <2-year-olds (HR 1.81, 95% CI 0.98-3.37).CONCLUSIONS: We did not find a larger effect of decolonization treatment versus no treatment in children <6 years old, and 2-5-year-olds tended to become MRSA free faster than <2-year-olds. These results support a wait-and-see approach for all children <6 years old, but further studies are needed.

AB - BACKGROUND: Decolonization treatment of MRSA carriers is recommended in Denmark, except in households with MRSA-positive children <2 years old (wait-and-see approach).OBJECTIVES: To investigate a wait-and-see approach in children 2-5 years old, and the effect of decolonization treatment of MRSA carriage in all children <6 years old.PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective follow-up study, we included MRSA carriers <6 years old in the Capital Region of Denmark from 2007 to 2021. Data were collected from laboratory information systems and electronic patient records. We divided children into age groups of <2 years or 2-5 years and decolonization treatment versus no treatment. Treatment was chlorhexidine body washes and nasal mupirocin, sometimes supplemented with systemic antibiotics. Children were followed until becoming MRSA free, or censoring. The probability of becoming MRSA free was investigated with Cox regression (higher HRs indicate faster decolonization).RESULTS: Of 348 included children, 226 were <2 years old [56/226 (25%) received treatment] and 122 were 2-5 years old [90/122 (74%) received treatment]. Multivariable analyses did not show a larger effect of decolonization treatment versus no treatment in <2-year-olds (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.52-1.65) or 2-5-year-olds (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.26-1.12). Without treatment, 2-5-year-olds tended to clear MRSA faster than <2-year-olds (HR 1.81, 95% CI 0.98-3.37).CONCLUSIONS: We did not find a larger effect of decolonization treatment versus no treatment in children <6 years old, and 2-5-year-olds tended to become MRSA free faster than <2-year-olds. These results support a wait-and-see approach for all children <6 years old, but further studies are needed.

U2 - 10.1093/jac/dkae036

DO - 10.1093/jac/dkae036

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38334373

VL - 79

SP - 826

EP - 834

JO - Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

JF - Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

SN - 0305-7453

IS - 4

ER -