Author/Authors :
Walrath, J.J Department of Emergency Medicine - Yale-New Haven Hospital - New Haven - CT, USA , Hennrikus, W.L Department of Orthopaedics - Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center - Hershey - PA, USA , Zalonis, C Department of Infectious Diseases - Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center - Hershey - PA, USA , Dyer, A.M Department of Public Health Sciences - Penn State College of Medicine - Hershey - PA, USA , Latorre, J.E Penn State College of Medicine - Hershey - PA, USA
Abstract :
Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) has been described as a risk factor for postsurgical infection.The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of MRSA in pediatric orthopaedic patients and whether being a MRSAcarrier is a predictor of postoperative infection. Six hundred and ninety-nine consecutive pediatric patients who underwent MRSAnasal screening prior to surgery were studied. Postoperative cultures, total surgical site infections (SSIs), and epidemiological andsurgical prophylaxis data were reviewed. Forty-four of 699 patients (6.29%) screened positive for MRSA. Nine of the 44 patients(20.5%) that screened positive for MRSA had a subsequent SSI compared to 10 of the 655 patients (1.52%) that screened negative(𝑝<0.05). All 9 patients with a SSI had myelomeningocele. The prevalence of MRSA was 6.30% and was predictive of postoperativeinfection. Children with myelomeningocele were at the highest risk for having a positive MRSA screening and developing SSI
Keywords :
The Prevalence , MRSA , Nasal Carriage , Preoperative Pediatric Orthopaedic , Patients
