Colonization by Streptococcus penumoniae in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• HIV/AIDS Research

Background:

• Children with HIV are at higher risk for invasive pneumococcal disease.
• The impact of HIV and its treatment on pneumococcal colonization and antibiotic resistance is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• To assess antibiotic resistance patterns in S. pneumoniae isolates from children with HIV infection.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study comparing HIV-infected children with controls.
• Nasopharyngeal swabs collected to identify S. pneumoniae colonization.
• Antibiotic resistance testing for beta-lactams and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (T/S).

Main Results:

• S. pneumoniae colonization rates were similar between HIV-infected (20%) and control (19%) children.
• Penicillin resistance was lower in isolates from HIV-infected children (18%) compared to controls (50%).
• No significant difference in T/S resistance was observed, despite high T/S use in the HIV clinic.

Conclusions:

• Nasopharyngeal colonization with S. pneumoniae is comparable between HIV-infected children and controls.
• Pneumococcal disease incidence and T/S prophylaxis are not linked to colonization rates.
• Antibiotic prophylaxis in HIV-infected children did not lead to increased S. pneumoniae resistance.