Streptococcus pneumoniae and haemophilus influenzae type B carriage in infants presenting to Zola Community Health Centre for routine immunization

Abstract

Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common cause o f illness and death in the pediatric population worldwide. It is estimated that 70 - 80% o f severe pneumonias in Africa are caused by S.pnewnoniae (the pneumococcus) followed by H. influenzae type b. Surveillance reveals that drug resistance is increasing worldwide, South Africa not being an exception. This has considerably complicated the management o f infections caused by both the pneumococcus and H. influenzae type b ( H ib ). It is widely accepted that colonization of the nasopharynx even briefly precedes middle ear infection and invasive pneumococcal disease. Early onset of colonization after birth has been associated with early onset o f middle ear infections. Furthermore, colonized children are able to transmit these organisms to other children. Carriage o f pneumococci commonly occurs in young children. The carriage of resistant pneumococci is usually limited to those serotypes carried in children. N ew conjugate vaccines may be able to reduce colonization o f these serotypes. This study was undertaken to determine the serotypes and susceptibility o f pneumococci and H. influenzae type b, and the proportion o f healthy children colonized at Zola Community Health Centre (ZCHC) in Soweto.