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[Modern views on pneumococcal infections in infants and toddlers]
D Kotulová1, A Kapellerová, F Palicová
1Mikrobiologický ústav LFUK a FN, Slovakia.
Insights
Pneumococci infections are common in young children and immunocompromised individuals. Susceptibility testing is crucial for treating severe pneumococcal infections due to rising drug resistance.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
Context:
- Pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumoniae) frequently colonize the upper respiratory tracts of infants and toddlers.
- Virulence factors such as capsules and adhesins enable pneumococci to evade immune responses.
- Severe infections disproportionately affect children under three and immunocompromised patients.
Purpose:
- To highlight the mechanisms by which pneumococci cause severe infections.
- To emphasize the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance in pneumococcal pathogens.
- To underscore the importance of accurate susceptibility testing for effective treatment.
Summary:
- Pneumococci utilize virulence factors to overcome host immunity, leading to severe infections.
- Altered susceptibility to key antibiotics including penicillin, erythromycin, and ceftriaxone is a significant clinical challenge.
- In vitro susceptibility testing is essential for guiding the treatment of invasive pneumococcal diseases.
Impact:
- Informing clinical decisions for managing severe pneumococcal infections.
- Guiding antimicrobial stewardship programs to combat resistance.
- Improving patient outcomes through targeted antibiotic therapy.
Abstract:
Pneumococci colonize the upper respiratory tract predominantly in sucklings and toddlers. By means of their factors of virulence (capsule, ahesines, peptidoglycan, and polysaccharides of the capsule, cytoplasmic membrane enzymes) they can either avoid or impair the immunity mechanisms causing thus severe infections especially in children younger than three years of age and in patients with immunity defects. Regarding the possibility of occurrence of pneumococci with altered susceptibility to penicillin and some other drugs (erythromycin, cotrimaxazol, ceftriaxon, chloramphenicol, tetracycline) it is necessary to treat severe pneumococcal infections on the basis of in vitro detected susceptibility.