A cluster of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, a type of drug-resistant "superbug," sickened 48 children and teenagers in Ireland following an outdoor social gathering in the fall of 2025. Fifteen of those affected required hospitalization, with four admitted for treatment, according to a report published in Eurosurveillance.
Health officials identified the outbreak's source as three inflatable bouncy castles used at the event in eastern Ireland. Nearly all individuals who fell ill had attended the gathering, and 47 attendees who played on the inflatables developed symptoms. The specific strain of MRSA involved carried Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), a toxin associated with skin and soft-tissue infections, which researchers noted is uncommon in Ireland.
The outbreak, described as the largest reported community-acquired MRSA outbreak in Ireland, primarily affected children aged 5 to 16, with a median age of 12. The majority of those sickened were boys.
Symptoms appeared rapidly, with 34 of the 48 cases developing signs of infection within two days of the gathering, and some becoming ill within 24 hours. Reported symptoms included spots, pustules, redness, blisters, and abscesses. Among 27 cases where the infection site was documented, legs, particularly the thighs, were the most commonly affected area. Some children also experienced fever, nausea, or vomiting.
Of the 48 cases, 33 were treated by a general practitioner, while 15 sought care at hospital emergency departments or day wards. Four children were admitted to the hospital, with an average stay of four days. No intensive care admissions or deaths were reported.
The gathering, which included a barbecue and other activities, was attended by an estimated 120 people, approximately half of whom were children and teenagers. Parents reported that children spent extended periods, with some playing for at least four hours, on the bouncy castles. The play was described as crowded and physically vigorous. Researchers suggested that prolonged close contact, combined with warm, humid conditions and potential skin abrasions, may have facilitated the spread of the bacteria.