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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children

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Recent changes in nasopharyngeal flora of children in Japan

Tatsuya Hayashi1, Tomoki Yoshizaki, Kenzo Ohara

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. thayashi@asahikawa-med.ac.jp

Advances in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
|August 26, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Lower cephalosporin antibiotic use in Japan correlated with reduced resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) strains. High rates of ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae (BLNAR) were noted, impacting pediatric nasopharyngeal flora.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Nasopharyngeal flora in pediatric patients is crucial for understanding respiratory health.
  • Antibiotic consumption patterns significantly influence bacterial resistance.
  • Japan has historically reported a high prevalence of β-lactamase nonproducing ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae (BLNAR).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To retrospectively investigate the association between pediatric nasopharyngeal flora and antibiotic consumption.
  • To analyze trends in antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) in relation to cephalosporin usage.
  • To examine the prevalence of BLNAR in the Japanese pediatric population over a decade.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of nasopharyngeal flora data from pediatric patients.
  • Correlation analysis between annual cephalosporin consumption rates and SP non-susceptibility.
  • Monitoring of BLNAR prevalence in the study cohort.

Main Results:

  • A significant inverse relationship was observed between lower annual cephalosporin consumption and reduced prevalence of non-susceptible SP strains.
  • The study confirmed the continued high prevalence of BLNAR among pediatric isolates in Japan.
  • Trends suggest antibiotic stewardship may influence resistance patterns in pediatric nasopharyngeal bacteria.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced cephalosporin use may be linked to decreased resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
  • BLNAR remains a significant bacteriological characteristic in Japanese pediatric nasopharyngeal flora.
  • Long-term antibiotic consumption monitoring is essential for managing pediatric bacterial resistance.

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