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Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonization in young South Indian infants

C L Coles1, R Kanungo, L Rahmathullah

  • 1Department of International Health, John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|April 17, 2001
PubMed

Insights

High rates of pneumococcal carriage were observed in South Indian infants during the first six months of life. This colonization may contribute to their increased risk of developing pneumonia.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of childhood illness and death globally.
  • Nasopharyngeal carriage in children indicates circulating bacterial strains within a community.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of pneumococcal carriage in South Indian infants.
  • To identify common pneumococcal serotypes in early infancy.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 464 newborns in rural South India was recruited.
  • Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from infants at 2, 4, and 6 months of age.
  • Risk factors for carriage and prevalent serotypes were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Pneumococcal carriage prevalence reached 70.2% by 6 months of age.
  • Risk factors included female sex, household smoking, maternal education, and colostrum feeding at 2 months.
  • Maternal night blindness was associated with increased carriage and carrying specific vaccine serotypes.
  • Serogroups 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 19, 23, and 33 were most prevalent.

Conclusions:

  • South Indian infants exhibit high pneumococcal carriage rates in the first six months.
  • These high carriage rates may be a contributing factor to the elevated risk of pneumonia in this population.
  • Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and vaccination strategies.
Abstract

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