Incidence and Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus Infections in the NICU

MSSA was more common than MRSA, but overall S. aureus infection rates are falling.

Increases in both hospital-acquired and community-onset methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections have prompted many neonatal intensive care unit (NICUs) to screen infants and initiate decolonization procedures to reduce horizontal spread of this aggressive pathogen.

In a retrospective analysis of medical charts of approximately 1 million infants discharged from 348 NICUs managed by a single group in the U.S. between 1997 and 2012, researchers found the following:

S. aureus infection was identified in 3888 infants (0.4%).
Infection was more common in infants with very low birth weight (<1500 grams; 2.2%) than in infants with birth weight ≥1500 grams (0.1%).
Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) was responsible for the majority (72%) …

Reviewing Author

Deborah Lehman, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Deborah Lehman, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Incidence and Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus Infections in the NICU

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Reviewing Author