Abstract
Scalded skin syndrome (SSS) has been associated with group II staphylococci. We recently studied a nursery outbreak of this syndrome caused by group I S. aureus.
The epidemic occurred from 8/1-14/73 in the newborn nursery of a Salt Lake City hospital. Four female infants developed a scarlatinaform eruption within the first week of life. The eruption was characterized by a generalized, finely papular erythema; one infant experienced mild epidermal peeling. Two of the infants were febrile. Cultures of the umbilical cords and/or the anterior nares grew S. aureus, phage type 29/52/79/86/D11/81. The eruption rapidly cleared after treatment with Nafcillin.
Bacteriologic surveillance of the nursery revealed one admitting nurse as a nasal carrier of the epidemic phage type; no infants other than the original cases were colonized with the epidemic strain, and no additional cases were uncovered by a telephone survey.
Staphylococci which cause SSS are characterized by the production of a toxin which is capable of producing exfoliation in newborn mice. The epidemic strain, when tested in the suckling-mouse, produced epidermal necrolysis. The demonstration that a group I staphylococcus can produce an exfoliative toxin suggests that a common mechanism for toxin production may exist for groups I and II staphylococci.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Faden, H., Burke, J., Everett, J. et al. NURSERY OUTBREAK OF SCALDED SKIN SYNDROME DUE TO GROUP I STAPHYLOCOCCUS SUREUS. Pediatr Res 8, 424 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00503
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00503