Metastatic infections in pediatric patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia assisted at a children's hospital in La Plata, Argentina

Introduction. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most prevalent infectious agents in children and may cause a wide variety of clinical presentations. S. aureus bacteremia is frequently associated with complications and metastatic infections. The epidemiological and clinical data about S. aureus bacteremia and its complications in pediatrics are scarce. Objectives. To describe the epidemiology, frequency, distribution, and type of metastatic infections in a series of pediatric patients with S. aureus bacteremia and assess possible risk factors for its development. Population and methods. Cross-sectional study of pediatric patients with S. aureus bacteremia admitted to a children's hospital of La Plata between January 2016 and June 2019. Results. A total of 112 S. aureus bacteremia events were analyzed. The rate of metastatic infection was 34.8%; the lung was the most common infection site. The main risk factors for the development of metastatic infections were bacteremia due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus (odds ratio: 2.95; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-7.83; p = 0.015) and persistent positive control blood cultures at 48 hours (odds ratio: 3.17; 95% confidence interval: 1.22-8.46; p = 0.012). Conclusion. The rate of metastatic infections among patients with S. aureus bacteremia was 34.8%. Associated risk factors were bacteremia due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus and persistent positive control blood cultures at 48 hours. The most common organs affected included the lungs, the osteoarticular system, and the skin and soft tissue.