Bullous Impetigo in Children Infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Alone or in Combination with Methicillin-Susceptible S. aureus: Analysis of Genetic Characteristics, Including Assessment of Exfoliative Toxin Gene Carriage

Abstract

Among bullous impetigo isolates, exfoliative toxin (ET) gene carriage was found in 61.5% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates versus 90.6% of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates. MRSA-only cases were ETB or ETA positive, while MRSA/MSSA coinfection cases were ET negative for MRSA but ETA positive for MSSA. Collagen adhesin may facilitate some MRSA infections.