Colonization of Household Contacts of Children with Staph Skin Infections

Among 609 household contacts of children with Staphylococcus aureus skin or soft-tissue infections, 53% were colonized with the pathogen.

Asymptomatic colonization with Staphylococcus aureus often precedes skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by this organism and enables transmission within households. In a recent study, researchers in Missouri evaluated the prevalence of S. aureus colonization in households of pediatric patients presenting with community-associated S. aureus SSTIs at any of nine community pediatric practices or a large children's hospital emergency department and wound-management center.

The study involved the households of 183 patients, aged 6 months to 20 years, who had both S. aureus colonization and S. aureus SSTIs requiring incision and drainage. A total of 609 household contacts provided swabs (self-collected from the bilateral anterior nares,…

Reviewing Author

Robert S. Baltimore, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsInfectious Diseases in Children

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesMember Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease

Robert S. Baltimore, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsInfectious Diseases in Children

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesMember Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease

Colonization of Household Contacts of Children with Staph Skin Infections

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Reviewing Author