Burn Wound Infections With Staphylococcus aureus: Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors for Methicillin‐Resistant Strains

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to systematically delineate the clinical characteristics and identify the key risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in burn patients, thereby informing targeted preventive measures and therapeutic strategies. This retrospective study included 270 burn patients with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections at a Chinese centre (2019–2022), comprising 127 MRSA and 143 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) cases. Clinical data were analysed to assess infection profiles, resistance patterns and MRSA risk factors. Amongst the infections, 68.1% (184/270) were caused by multi-drug resistant S. aureus, specifically 47.0% (127/270) by MRSA and 21.1% (57/270) by MSSA. The predominant resistance pattern (penicillin, oxacillin, gentamicin, clindamycin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, tetracycline) accounted for 23.9% (44/184) of multidrug-resistant cases. The overall MRSA detection rate was 47.0% (127/270). Univariate analysis identified multiple factors significantly associated with MRSA infection (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified the use of ≥ 3 types of antibiotics as an independent risk factor for MRSA infection in burn wounds. The detection rate of multi-drug resistant S. aureus (including MRSA) infections in burn wounds is relatively high. A number of variables are the influencing factors for MRSA infections. Medical personnel should adopt infection control measures to block the transmission of multi-drug resistant bacteria (including MRSA).