Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of infections in paediatric populations, ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening systemic infections. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] has become increasingly prevalent, raising concerns regarding treatment and control measures. Therefore, it is of interest to assess the Staphylococcus aureus infections in hospitalized children and determine the colonization patterns and antibiotic sensitivity profiles at a tertiary care centre. A prospective observational study was conducted on 103 paediatric patients, categorized into S. aureus-infected and healthy controls. S. aureus isolates were obtained from clinical specimens and colonization was assessed using nasal, axillary, throat and inguinal swabs. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using the MIC method. S. aureus infection was confirmed in 32 [31.06%] of the patients, with colonization observed in 71.87% of infected cases. Among the colonized sites, nasal and axillary regions were the most frequent. MRSA accounted for 46.8% of the infections, while MSSA made up 53.2%. MRSA isolates were more resistant to antibiotics compared to MSSA. Vancomycin, daptomycin and teicoplanin showed 100% efficacy against both MRSA and MSSA. Colonization was significantly higher in infected patients compared to controls, indicating colonization as a risk factor for S. aureus infection. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns suggest that vancomycin and teicoplanin remain effective against MRSA, but increasing resistance underscores the need for careful antibiotic selection and preventive measures in paediatric care.