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Lack of small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus from lower respiratory tract specimens
Author(s) -
Carzino Rosemary,
Hart Emily,
Sutton Philip,
King Louise,
Ranganathan Sarath
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.23699
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , pseudomonas aeruginosa , cystic fibrosis , medicine , respiratory tract , antibiotics , respiratory tract infections , agar , agar plate , micrococcaceae , lower respiratory tract infection , bacteria , respiratory system , biology , antibacterial agent , genetics
Background Small‐colony variants (SCVs) of Staphylococcus aureus are associated with worse lung disease in children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), exhibit a higher resistance to antibiotics and co‐colonize more commonly with Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared to the normal phenotype. The prevalence of SCVs in lower airway specimens from children with CF is largely unknown. Methods Each visible morphotype of S. aureus was subcultured onto horse blood agar (HBA) to enable identification of SCVs. Results Sixty‐one samples from 41 children (mean age 11.7 (SD 5.3) years) were identified with a positive S. aureus culture from lower respiratory tract specimens collected in 2014‐2015. None of the differing morphotypes isolated were identified as S. aureus SCVs. Conclusion In a center where anti staphylococcal prophylaxis is adopted, S. aureus SCVs were not isolated from the lower airways specimens in young children with CF indicating that acquisition of small colony variant S. aureus may not be a significant clinical problem in young children with CF.