Prevalence of CA-MRSA among pre-school children of the day care center in São Paulo state

• Grant number: 15/25939-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza da Cunha
• Grantee: Yohana Rodrigues Andrade
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Reports have shown that children who attend day care system have high risk of acquiring infections due to the close contact with each other increasing the transmission of pathogens. About 1% of those children are colonized by MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which frequently carry the PVL gene. CA-MRSA colonization and infections are associated with invasive forms of diseases, and PVL play important role as virulence factor during skin infections, I.e. boils, and severe necrotizing pneumonia. The close proximity and frequent skin-to-skin contact among children are factors that certainly facilitate bacteria transmission and infections development. Other factors such as: antimicrobial usage, hospitalization, previous skin infections and close contact among family members are known risk factors for MRSA colonization. In Brazil few studies focus on colonization/infection in children in day care, thus this study aims to identify the prevalence and risk factors for S. aureus colonization. We will collect nasal/ wounds swabs from children attending the Creche do Distrito de Rubiao Junior - Botucatu, SP. The samples will be plated onto specific culture media and phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility to oxacillin. We will perform PCR for mecA and PVL detection in S. aureus oxacillin resistant. SCCmec typing will be performed for mecA positive strains. PFGE (Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis) will define the clonal profile and identify the endemic clusteres. Children medical records from Basic Health Unit (BHU) of the city will be analyzed aiming to identify epidemiologic factors associated with MRSA colonization/infection.