MRSA outbreak tied to bouncy castles infects 48 children in Ireland
An MRSA outbreak linked to three bouncy castles at a community event in Ireland infected 48 children; 15 sought emergency care, four were hospitalized, and all recovered.
Ars Technica described the setting in stark terms: for an energetic child, few things are more fun than hurtling through a bouncy castle, launching into the air and bouncing between every surface. That childhood buoyancy quickly deflates when those surfaces are smeared with a hypervirulent, multidrug-resistant pathogen, the article said. In this case, the bouncy castle surfaces were linked to aggressive skin and soft-tissue infections.
Within a day of the gathering, some children began developing signs of infection, according to the report. In all, 48 children in the community developed aggressive skin and soft-tissue infections. Of the 48 cases, 33 were treated by their regular doctor, and 15 sought emergency care. Four children ended up being hospitalized. All of the children recovered.
The article identified the outbreak as MRSA. It said the investigation's findings were reported in Eurosurveillance. The report did not identify the specific community in Ireland or the exact date of the event beyond fall 2025. It also did not say how the pathogen first reached the bouncy castles.
Editor's Summary
A community event in Ireland in fall 2025, featuring three bouncy castles, led to an MRSA outbreak that infected 48 children. Fifteen children sought emergency care and four were hospitalized, but all recovered. The outbreak investigation was reported in the journal Eurosurveillance.