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Incidence of H. influenzae in a day-care center
N Akçakaya1, M M Torun, Y Söylemez
1Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine.
Insights
Healthy children in a Istanbul day-care center frequently carried Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Despite high Hib carriage rates, no invasive Hib disease was observed, suggesting these children were asymptomatic carriers.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Nasopharyngeal carriage of Haemophilus influenzae is common in children.
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a significant cause of invasive childhood infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the nasopharyngeal flora of healthy children in a Istanbul day-care center.
- To determine the prevalence of Haemophilus influenzae, particularly Hib, in this population.
Main Methods:
- Nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained from 168 children aged 2-5 years.
- Cultures were collected between December 1992 and April 1993.
- Isolates were identified and typed, with a focus on Hib.
Main Results:
- Haemophilus influenzae was isolated from 104 (61.9%) children.
- Hib was detected in 87 children (51.8%), with the highest incidence in 2-3 year olds.
- No invasive Hib disease was observed in any of the children studied.
Conclusions:
- Healthy children in day-care settings can be significant carriers of Hib.
- Asymptomatic carriage of Hib is prevalent, even in the absence of clinical disease.
- Further research is needed to understand the implications of asymptomatic carriage.
Abstract:
In this study nasopharyngeal haemophilus influenzae flora of healthy children in a day-care center in istanbul were analyzed. Nasopharyngeal cultures of 168 children between two and five years of age were obtained between December 1, 1992 and April 1, 1993 and investigated. H. influenzae was isolated in 104 cultures. H. influenzae type b (Hib), type f and H. parainfluenzae were found 87 children (51.8%), 15 children (8.9%) and one child (0.6%), respectively, while non-typable H. influenzae was discovered in one child (0.6%). Hib, which is the cause of invasive H. influenzae infection in childhood, was evaluated with respect to age; its incidence was found to be highest in two and three-year-old children, and reduced in children older than four years of age. Although Hib was seen in 518 percent of normal children in the day-care center, invasive Hib disease was not seen in any of those children. Therefore, these children have considered carrier of Hib without clinical manifestations.