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Published on: February 23, 2014
Pneumococcal infections and homelessness.
Tran Duc Anh Ly1,2, Lauren Perieres3, VAN Thuan Hoang1,2,4
1Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.
Pneumococcal carriage is common in homeless individuals in France, with higher rates than in controls. Vaccination should be prioritized for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage is a precursor to pneumococcal disease.
- Homeless populations are at increased risk for infectious diseases.
- Previous studies indicate potential outbreaks in homeless communities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of pneumococcal carriage in sheltered homeless individuals in Marseille, France.
- To identify risk factors associated with carriage in this population.
- To assess pneumococcal vaccination coverage among sheltered homeless people.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted during winter months from 2015-2018.
- 571 sheltered homeless males and 54 non-homeless controls were enrolled.
- Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Streptococcus pneumoniae in nasopharyngeal samples.
Main Results:
- Pneumococcal carriage was significantly higher in homeless individuals (15.3% in 2018) compared to controls (3.7%).
- Independent risk factors for carriage included age ≥ 65 years, residing in a specific shelter, and presence of respiratory symptoms.
- Pneumococcal vaccination coverage was notably low at 3.1%.
Conclusions:
- Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage is frequent among sheltered homeless people in France.
- Systematic consideration of pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for this high-risk group.
- Findings align with international observations of increased pneumococcal infections in homeless populations.
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