Nasal carriers of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among cuban children attending day-care centers

BACKGROUND. Recent but scarce reports of methicillin-resistant Staphylococc us, aureus strains (MRSA) among children without risk factos associated wit h its acquisition promted us to investigate its presence in the community. PATIENTS AND METHODS. During the September and October months in 1997, nasa l and pharyngeal swabs were obtained from 358 children aged less than five years who attended three day-care centers in the Marianao Area, La Habana C ity, Cuba. The isolated S. aureus strains were characterized for antimicrob ial sensitivity using the Kirby-Bauer method. Methicillin resistance was co nfirmed by te " Oxacillin Salt-Agar Screening-Plate" method recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. RESULTS. 18.7% of children were carriers of S. aureus in the upper respirat ory tract; 2.2% of children carried MRSA strains. The highest resistance le vels corresponded to erythromycin (50.74%) and tetracycline (29.9%). All te sted strains were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS. Our results provide evidence on the recovery of MRSA strains a mong healthy children attending daycare centers and are suggestive of a rap id colonization and spread of these microorganisms in the community.