Fatal infection with enterocolitis from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the continued value of culture in the era of molecular diagnostics

Abstract

MRSA enterocolitis is under-recognized in the setting of PCR testing. In this case report, we describe risk factors, the importance of stool culture, and the third published case of MRSA enterocolitis in a patient with leukemia. In addition, we performed a retrospective analysis of all stool cultures at our institution that have grown Staphylococcus aureus , and we describe an additional five cases. We also report the diagnostic yield of organisms detected by culture, but not on the FilmArray panel. While rare, these cases demonstrate that MRSA in stool may indicate a severe and potentially life-threatening infection, particularly in immunocompromised persons.

Staphylococcal Enterocolitis: An Atypical Clinical Presentation of a Neglected Disease

“…Regarding the last niche, studies have shown that intestine-colonising S. aureus can persist following the cessation of antibiotic treatment and form a notable reservoir for nosocomial spread. From an individual perspective, carrying S. aureus in the gut represents a risk 2 factor for potentially threatening disease development, such as staphylococcal enterocolitis (SEC) [3][4][5][6].…”