Age-Dependent Increase in Incidence of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia, Denmark, 2008-2015

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 25; no. 5; pp. 875 - 882
• Main Authors: Thorlacius-Ussing, Louise, Sandholdt, Haakon, Larsen, Anders Rhod, Petersen, Andreas, Benfield, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01-05-2019; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Age-Dependent Increase in Incidence of; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Bacteremia; Bacteremia, Denmark, 2008–2015; bacteria; Child; Child, Preschool; Death; Denmark; Denmark - epidemiology; epidemiology; Female; History, 21st Century; Hospitalization; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Methicillin; Middle Aged; Mortality; population; Public Health Surveillance; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - history; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus infections; Young Adult; Denmark; epidemiology; bacteria; elderly; Denmark; staphylococci; aging; incidence; Staphylococcus aureus; bacteremia; population
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2505.181733

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. We analyzed temporal trends of SAB incidence and death in Denmark during 2008-2015. SAB incidence increased 48%, from 20.76 to 30.37 per 100,000 person-years, during this period (p<0.001). The largest change in incidence was observed for persons >80 years of age: a 90% increase in the SAB rate (p<0.001). After adjusting for demographic changes, annual rates increased 4.0% (95% CI 3.0-5.0) for persons <80 years of age, 8.4% (95% CI 7.0-11.0) for persons 80-89 years of age, and 13.0% (95% CI 9.0-17.5) for persons >90 years of age. The 30-day case-fatality rate remained stable at 24%; crude population death rates increased by 53% during 2008-2015 (p<0.001). Specific causes and mechanisms for this rapid increase in SAB incidence among the elderly population remain to be clarified.