Jayant Mahadeorao Deshmukh1 , Swaranjali Nanasaheb Punde2
BACKGROUND We wanted to screen children with wound infection for nasal colonization of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and evaluate its association with skin and soft tissue infection. METHODS This is a cross-sectional observational study conducted among 112 children with wound infection. Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pus swab and nasal specimen was subjected to Cefoxitin disk and Oxacillin agar method to screen for MRSA. RESULTS Out of 112 pus samples, 97 (86.6 %) were confirmed for S. aureus and 15 (13.4 %) showed no isolation of S. aureus. Out of 97 S. aureus isolates, 80 cases (82.5 %) were positive for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 17 (17.5 %) were Methicillin Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Nasal carriage positivity for S. aureus was seen in 73 (75.3 %) out of 97 children with wound infection caused by S. aureus. Statistical analysis of the risk factor association of MRSA, MSSA nasal colonization and cutaneous infections was calculated using the Chi-square test (Epi info software). CONCLUSIONS Nasal colonization of S. aureus is one of the risk factors associated with skin and soft tissue infection. Screening should be made an essential component of assessment of carrier transmitted drug resistant strains of Staphylococci in the community in a hospital setting.
