Is community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) an emerging pathogen among children in Brazil?

ABSTRACT Background: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is spreading worldwide, but little is known about the epidemiology of this pathogen in Brazil. Objective: To evaluate clinical and microbiological features of children with S. aureus infections admitted to a university hospital. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study evaluating the potential risk factors for CA-MRSA, and a retrospective cohort evaluating in-hospital clinical outcomes. To include patients with both community and hospital-associated infections, we screened the results of the microbiological laboratory tests from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016. According to the phenotype, we classified the isolates in Methicillin-Susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), Hospital-Associated Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA), and CA-MRSA. Clinical data were collected from the patients’ medical records. Results: We identified 279 cases of S. aureus infections (MSSA = 163, CA-MRSA = 69, HA-MRSA = 41). Overall, the incidence density of CA-MRSA and MSSA infections increased while the HA-MRSA incidence density decreased over the study period. CA-MRSA infected patients were more likely to present with skin and soft tissue infections (OR: 2.83, 95%CI: 1.54–5.33, p < 0.001) and osteomyelitis (OR: 4.76; 95%CI: 1.16–22.71, p = 0.014) when compared to MSSA and HA-MRSA infections. Unadjusted case fatality rates were similar between MSSA-infected patients (3.14%, 5/159) and CA-MRSA infected patients (3.80%, 3/79, p = 0.792), while HA-MRSA infected patients were more likely to die in the hospital (12.20%, 5/41, p = 0.013). Conclusions: CA-MRSA is an emergent pediatric pathogen in Brazil. Our results highlight the relevance of choosing an appropriate initial antimicrobial drug for treating children with severe S. aureus infections

SARS-CoV-2 in children with cancer in Brazil : results of a multicenter national registry

Background: Strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in special populations are complex and challenging. Few studies have addressed the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric patients with cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: Multicenter observational cohort study with prospective records and retrospective analyses starting in April 2020 in 21 pediatric oncology centers distributed throughout Brazil. Participants: Patients under 18 years of age who are infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (confirmed diagnosis through reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]) while under treatment at pediatric oncology centers. The variables of interest included clinical symptoms, diagnostic and therapeutic measures. The repercussions of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cancer treatment and general prognosis were monitored. Results: One hundred seventy-nine patients were included (median age 6 [4–13] years, 58% male). Of these, 55.9% had acute leukemia and 34.1% had solid tumors. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 was diagnosed by RT-PCR. Various laboratory markers were analyzed, but showed no correlation with outcome. Children with low or high BMI for age had lower overall survival (71.4% and 82.6%, respectively) than those with ageappropriate BMI (92.7%) (p = .007). The severity of presentation at diagnosis was significantly associated with outcome (p < .001). Overall mortality in the presence of infection was 12.3% (n = 22). Conclusion: In children with cancer and COVID-19, lower BMI was associated with worse prognosis. The mortality in this group of patients (12.3%) was significantly higher than that described in the pediatric population overall (~1%)