Factors linked to Staphylococcus aureus healthcare-associated infections among pediatric intensive care unit colonized patients

Background: Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is one of the main pathogens responsible for healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) in pediatrics. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of SA-HCAI among colo-nized patients and the factors associated with it in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Methods: We designed a 6-year retrospective cohort study of a PICU in a French university children's hospital including all children admitted to the PICU from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2016, who had SA coloni-zation on PICU admission. For each patient, the past medical history and the hospitalization data were col-lected. HCAIs related to SA were verified according to the criteria of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Results: Among all patients colonized with SA (n = 1381, 26%), 105 (8%) had methicillin-resistant SA carriage and 41 (3%) developed an HCAI caused by SA. The main HCAIs were ventilator-associated pneumonia (51%) and central line-associated bloodstream infections (27%). Patients developing HCAI caused by SA had a signif-icantly longer length of hospital stay anda higher mortality rate than the rest of the population. Using a mul-tivariate logistic regression model, the presence of mechanical ventilation, the implementation of a surgical procedure during the PICU stay, and the onset of at least one episode of anemia during the PICU stay were significantly associated with the occurrence of HCAI due to SA.Conclusion: HCAIs linked to SA carriage are rare but severe. Mechanical ventilation, surgery during the PICU stay, and anemia are factors associated with SA-HCAI.(c) 2023 French Society of Pediatrics. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.