Epidemiology and Infection
- Epidemiology and Infection / Volume 139 / Issue 04 / April 2011, pp 606-612
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268810001408 (About DOI), Published online: 21 June 2010
Staphylococci and streptococci
Non-suppurative cellulitis: risk factors and its association with Staphylococcus aureus colonization in an area of endemic community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections
S. J. EELLSa1 c1, S. CHIRAa2, C. G. DAVIDa2, N. CRAFTa2 and L. G. MILLERa1a3
a1 Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
a2 Division of Dermatology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
a3 David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
SUMMARY
Suppurative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections are common and associated with MRSA colonization, but little is known about non-suppurative cellulitis and its relationship with MRSA colonization in areas endemic for community-associated MRSA. We prospectively enrolled patients hospitalized for non-suppurative cellulitis (n=50) and matched controls (n=100) and found S. aureus colonization was similar in cases and controls (30% vs. 25%, P=0·95). MRSA was uncommon in cases (6%) and controls (3%) (P=0·39). All MRSA isolates were USA300 by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Independent risk factors for non-suppurative cellulitis were diabetes (OR 3·5, 95% CI 1·4–8·9, P=0·01) and homelessness in the previous year (OR 6·4, 95% CI 1·9–20·9, P=0·002). These findings suggest that MRSA may only rarely be causative of non-suppurative cellulitis.
(Accepted May 20 2010)
(Online publication June 21 2010)
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Correspondence:
c1 Author for correspondence: S. J. Eells, M.P.H., Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, 1124 W. Carson Street, Box 466, Torrance, CA 90502 USA. (Email: seells@labiomed.org)
