Abstract

To determine clinical differences in features of methicillin-susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA, respectively) bacteremia, 15 adult patients with MRSA bacteremia were compared with 30 adult patients with MSSA bacteremia who were hospitalized during 2015 – 2018.

Compared with MSSA bacteremia patients, MRSA bacteremia patients had a higher age (mean age, 82.0 years and 72.5 years, respectively) and were more likely to have diabetes mellitus significantly (p=0.04). Liver and kidney functions were also significantly decreased in MRSA bacteremia patients compared with MSSA bacteremia patients (p=0.037, p=0.001 and p=0,015, respectively). Moreover, MRSA bacteremia patients showed a much higher mortality rate than MSSA bacteremia patients (60% and 20%, respectively; odds ratio: 2.66, 95% CI; 1.806-4.288, p=0.007).

These data suggest that MRSA bacteremia is more lethal than MSSA bacteremia in adults. Thus, caution should be taken when Staphylococcus aureus is isolated from the blood of patients who are elderly, diabetic, or have liver and kidney dysfunction because MRSA can be more possible pathogens rather than MSSA.

Keywords: Age; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA); Liver dysfunction; Kidney dysfunction