An Outbreak of<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>in a Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit

Abstract

Only three children were infected with the epidemic strain, but it was disseminated widely among staff who cared for children who underwent cardiothoracic surgery. No additional cases were identified after staff members who carried the epidemic strain were decolonized. Both classic epidemiologic methods and molecular typing techniques were necessary to identify the source and extent of this outbreak.