Utility of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Nasal PCR Testing in Pediatric Patients With Suspected Respiratory Infections

Observational studies in adults suggest nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) swabs have a high negative predictive value (NPV) for ruling out MRSA pneumonia, however, pediatric data are limited. This retrospective study of 505 pediatric patients found a 99.8% NPV among children with suspected respiratory infections. In pediatric patients with a suspected respiratory infection, nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)testing may be beneficial for its high negative predictive value and ability to rule out MRSA infection in a population with a low prevalence of MRSA.