Nasopharyngeal Streptococcus Pneumoniae Carriage

Swab cultures obtained from the nasopharynx of participants were tested for the presence of streptococcus pneumoniae strains.

Streptococcus pneumoniae in swab culture of nasopharynx were serotyped. The assessment included 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 8, 9N, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 17F, 18C, 19A, 19F, 20, 22F, 23F, 33F, non-vaccine, non-typable and missing serotypes. Percentage of participants under different vaccine serotypes in identified isolates of streptococcus pneumonia are reported.

Antibiotic resistance is defined as in vitro inhibition of a particular bacterial strain by a concentration of the drug associated with high likelihood of therapeutic failure. Antibiotic resistance for streptococcus pneumoniae was assessed against Penicillin, Cefotaxime, Levofloxacin, Erythromycin and combination of Trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole. The standard breakpoint value (microbial growth inhibition zone) for Penicillin, Cefotaxime, Levofloxacin, Erythromycin and combination of Trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole was not more than 8, 4, 13, 15 and 15 millimeter (mm) respectively. Percentage of participants with antibiotic-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae strains are reported. The same participant may have streptococcus pneumoniae strains which is resistance to more than one antibiotic.

Swab cultures obtained from the nostril of participants were tested for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus strains.

Participants for carriage of streptococcus pneumoniae were analyzed with respect to various risk factors which included number of bathrooms, number of siblings in the family (multiple siblings), size of the house in meter square (house area), frequency of hand wash in a day, bed sharing, smoking by family member, child breast feeding (breast milk practice), daycare attendance, vaccination for flu and pneumococcus, history of otitis media and upper respiratory infection (URI), antibiotic use and influenza virus infection.