Aslıhan SAHIN, Esra KAYA
Turkish Archives of Pediatrics - 2026;61(8):690-695
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features, antimicrobial resistance, and temporal patterns of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections among children in a tertiary hospital in Türkiye. Methods: Medical records of pediatric patients diagnosed between January 2022 and December 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and microbiological data were analyzed, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) isolates were compared to assess temporal variation and resistance profiles. Results: Twenty-six pediatric patients were included 17 (65.4%) MRSA and 9 (34.6%) MSSA. The median age was 1.6 years (min-max: 1 month-16 years), with 69.3% under 5 years. Fourteen (53.8%) were girls. Abscess was the most common presentation (53.8%), followed by bloodstream (26.9%) and urinary tract infections (19.2%). Compared with MSSA, MRSA cases had a similar median age (1.2 vs. 2.0 years; P = .892) and showed no association with chronic comorbidities (29.4% vs. 33.3%; P = 1.000) or recent antibiotic use (47.1% vs. 44.4%; P = 1.000). The MRSA was more frequent among abscess isolates (71.4%, 10/14); however, the MRSA proportion did not differ significantly by specimen type (P = .480) or study year (P = .261). MRSA isolates were highly susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with low clindamycin resistance. Conclusion: The observed MRSA proportion and susceptibility profile underscores the importance of ongoing local surveillance and stewardship. Strengthening pediatric-focused infection control and optimizing empirical therapy, especially in outpatient soft tissue infections, are crucial.
