Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome Often Does Not Require Empiric Coverage for Methicillin Resistance

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) requires empiric anti-staphylococcal antibiotic management, selected based on regional rates of resistance. We report a retrospective chart review of the 58 patients diagnosed with SSSS through dermatology consult in our pediatric emergency department between 2015 and 2024. Only one patient had methicillin-resistant bacteria isolated on superficial bacterial culture, despite antibiogram data from our pediatric emergency department demonstrating methicillin resistance in 39.5%-46.8% of overall isolates growing Staphylococcus aureus. When selecting empiric antibiotic management for SSSS, providers should consider that institutional rates of MRSA in SSSS may differ from overall MRSA rates.