en ميکروب شناسي Microbiology تحقيقي Original Paper <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><b>Background:</b> <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) is a virulent bacterium responsible for a spectrum of infections, from superficial dermatological issues to severe, life-threatening sepsis. The emergence of methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA) strains, encompassing both hospital-acquired (HA) and community-acquired (CA) variants, presents significant challenges to effective treatment, especially in pediatric sepsis cases. This research endeavored to characterize <i>S. aureus</i> sepsis in pediatric patients, differentiate between cases caused by CA <i>S. aureus</i> (CA-SA) and HA <i>S. aureus</i> (HA-SA), and evaluate patterns of antibiotic resistance.<br> <b>Methods:</b> This study, conducted between January 2021 and December 2022 at the Postgraduate Department of Pediatrics, Children&rsquo;s Hospital, Srinagar, Kashmir, J&K, investigated patients aged 1 month to 18 years with suspected <i>S. aureus</i> sepsis or disseminated disease. Standard methods (BacT Alert and Vitek II Compact) were employed for culturing various samples. Continuous data are presented as mean &plusmn; standard deviation (SD), while categorical variables are expressed as proportions.<br> <b>Results:</b> Out of 56 patients, CA-SA was observed in 66.1% of cases, while HA-SA accounted for the remaining 33.9%. The cohort primarily consisted of males (62.5%) and individuals residing in rural areas (71.43%). Localized musculoskeletal symptoms were a prominent feature, present in 91.9% of patients (P &le; 0.05). Pleuropulmonary disease showed an association with HA-SA, whereas necrotizing soft tissue infections were linked to CA-SA. Common clinical manifestations included pneumonia and abscesses. Complications (such as septic shock, respiratory failure, and multi-organ dysfunction) were more frequently encountered in patients with HA-SA. Among 50 culture-confirmed cases, 96% were identified as methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA). Survival rates differed between the two groups, with 94.6% for CA-SA patients and 89.5% for HA-SA patients.<br> <b>Conclusion</b>: The current study reveals a high prevalence of MRSA in pediatric sepsis, emphasizing the critical need for urgent antimicrobial stewardship. The observed distinct clinical profiles of CA-SA and HA-SA further underscore the necessity for tailored management strategies, particularly in resource-limited environments.</span></span><br> &nbsp;</div> Staphylococcus aureus, Sepsis, Methicillin, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus 4 8 http://mlj.goums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1482-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Sahar Siddiqui saharsiddiqui02@gmail.com 100319475328460030465 0009-0008-1583-6165 No Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Mohd Suhail Lone drmohmmadsuhail@gmail.com 100319475328460030466 0009-0003-1691-8895 No Department of Pediatric Microbiology, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Umar Amin Qureshi dromarqureshi@rediffmail.com 100319475328460030467 100319475328460030467 Yes Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Rayees Khanday raeeskhanday@gmail.com 100319475328460030468 0009-0003-6829-9272 No Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India