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Clinical profile of invasive pneumococcal diseases in Patan Hospital, Nepal

U D Chhetri1, S Shrestha, R Pradhan

  • 1Department of Pedriatrics, Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), Patan Hospital, Lagankhel, Nepal. udchhetri@yahoo.com

Kathmandu University Medical Journal (KUMJ)
|May 22, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Pneumococcal infections are a major cause of childhood death. Penicillin remains effective, but current vaccines cover only some prevalent serotypes in children, indicating a need for updated vaccination strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Pneumococcal infections cause significant mortality in developing nations, particularly among children.
  • Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) leads to pneumonia, meningitis, and septicemia, contributing to one million childhood deaths annually.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the clinical characteristics of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children.
  • To determine the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of pneumococcal isolates.
  • To identify prevalent pneumococcal serotypes in children admitted to Patan Hospital.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective analytical study was conducted at Patan Hospital.
  • Laboratory data from children with pneumococcal-positive blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or body fluid cultures were collected over three years (2007-2009).
  • Case files were reviewed to gather clinical information.

Main Results:

  • Forty-two cases of IPD were analyzed, with pneumonia and meningitis being common diagnoses. Twenty-seven patients were under five years old.
  • Isolates showed high sensitivity to penicillin, cefotaxime, amoxycillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and ofloxacin, but resistance to cotrimoxazole and gentamicin.
  • Eleven pneumococcal serotypes were identified, with varying coverage by existing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV).

Conclusions:

  • Penicillin remains a highly effective antibiotic for treating pneumococcal infections in this population.
  • Existing pneumococcal vaccines offer partial coverage for the identified serotypes, highlighting the need for vaccine updates.
  • Understanding prevalent serotypes is crucial for optimizing prevention strategies against invasive pneumococcal disease.
Abstract

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