All issues > Volume 53(1); 2010

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2010;53(1):48-55. Published online January 15, 2010.

Regional outbreak of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in healthy children

Hyun Jeong HJ Do¹, Eun Sil ES Park¹, Jae Young JY Lim¹, Chan Hoo CH Park¹, Hyang Ok HO Woo¹, Hee Shang HS Youn¹, Ji Hyun JH Seo¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea

Correspondence Ji Hyun JH Seo ,Tel: +82.55-750-8731, Fax: +82.55-752-9339, Email: seozee@gnu.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a relatively uncommon superficial blistering skin disease that is due to Staphylococcus aureus. We had experienced a regional outbreak of SSSS over 3 years in healthy children.
Methods
: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of those patients diagnosed as SSSS. Most of neonatal cases were nosocomial infections and excluded from the analysis. The clinical features, laboratory findings, the isolation and antibiotic resistance of S. aureus, the antibiotic management and other supportive treatments were analyzed.
Results
: Fifty-five patients with SSSS were admitted to our hospital from October 2001 to September 2004. The median age of patients was 3.0 years. Of the 55 patients, 9 were the generalized type, 13 were the intermediate type and 33 were the scarletiniform rash. All the patients were living in neighborhood of the Jinju area. S. aureus were isolated from 9 of the patients and all of the isolated S. aureus were methicillin resistant. All the patients except two were treated with intravenous flocloxacillin or nafcillin and/or cefotaxime. All the patients recovered during the follow-up period of 2 to 3 weeks.
Conclusion
: We experienced a regional outbreak of SSSS in previous healthy children. Further study for finding the carriers of S. aureus caused SSSS and preventing the spread of this disease is needed. Additionally, guidelines for treating SSSS due to methicillin resistant S. aureus should be established.

Keywords :Staphylococcal Scaled Skin Syndrome, Outbreak, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus