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Published on: February 23, 2014

Community-acquired Pneumonia in Bangladeshi Children Under Five: Pathogen Prevalence, Resistance Trends, and

Sanchita Kar1,2, Sharmin Aktar Mukta1, Zannat Kawser1

  • 1Acute Respiratory Infections Research and Interventions, Mérieux Foundation, France.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|May 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Childhood pneumonia in Bangladesh shows high rates of antibiotic resistance and a prevalence of non-vaccine serotypes. These findings emphasize the need for updated pneumococcal surveillance and antimicrobial resistance strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of mortality in children globally.
  • Diverse etiologies contribute to CAP, necessitating region-specific data for effective interventions.
  • Understanding local epidemiology is crucial for optimizing treatment and vaccination strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of childhood CAP in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • To identify common pathogens and assess antimicrobial resistance patterns.
  • To inform public health strategies for CAP prevention and management.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 226 children under 5 with CAP and 201 controls was conducted in Dhaka.
  • Pathogen detection utilized blood and nasopharyngeal swabs.
  • Antibiotic susceptibility testing, pneumococcal serotyping, and inflammatory marker analysis (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin) were performed.

Main Results:

  • No bacteremic CAP cases were found. Streptococcus pneumoniae, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza A/B were significantly associated with CAP.
  • Over 90% of pneumococcal isolates were non-PCV10 serotypes, with serotype 19A predominant.
  • High rates of multidrug resistance were observed in S. pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA).

Conclusions:

  • Childhood CAP in Dhaka is characterized by high antimicrobial resistance and a predominance of non-PCV10 pneumococcal serotypes.
  • Findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced pneumococcal surveillance to guide vaccine policy.
  • Strengthened approaches to combat antimicrobial resistance are critical for improving child health outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
antimicrobial resistancebiomarkerschildrencommunity-acquired pneumonia

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