Janieke Van Veldhuizen, Netherlands

National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Center for Infectious Disease Control Netherlands

Presenter of 1 Presentation

IMPACT OF CULTURE-ENRICHMENT ON RANKED PNEUMOCOCCAL SEROTYPE CO-PRESENCE DETERMINED USING MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC METHOD OF QUANTITATIVE PCR (ID 875)

Abstract

Background

We investigated impact of culture-enrichment on the rank of serotypes when detected quantitatively in nasopharyngeal samples from toddlers co-carrying multiple pneumococcal strains.

Methods

Pneumococcal serotypes were detected in nasopharyngeal swabs (collected in a cross-sectional study from children aged <5 years) using conventional culture method followed by testing in serotype-specific qPCRs the DNA extracted from all bacterial growth harvested from culture-plates. Next, we quantified with qPCR serotypes in uncultured samples and compared serotype ranks before and after culture-enrichment.

Results

Co-presence of multiple serotypes has been detected in 37 (5.6%) of 658 nasopharyngeal samples. The number of serotype carriage events detected by any method in these 37 samples was 83 (2-5 per sample) while the number of strains cultured was 42 (1-2 per sample). For the majority of samples (n=27 or 73%) the serotype ranks in uncultured and culture-enriched samples matched. A shift in serotype rank was observed in 11% of the samples (4 of 37) whereas in another 16% (6 of 37) the discordance was due to fewer serotypes detected in uncultured samples.

Conclusions

While increasing sensitivity of carriage detection, culture-enrichment has limited impact on the rank of serotypes present in nasopharyngeal swabs and can therefore be used to provide insight into co-carriage dynamics.

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Author Of 2 Presentations

IMPACT OF CULTURE-ENRICHMENT ON RANKED PNEUMOCOCCAL SEROTYPE CO-PRESENCE DETERMINED USING MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC METHOD OF QUANTITATIVE PCR (ID 875)

Abstract

Background

We investigated impact of culture-enrichment on the rank of serotypes when detected quantitatively in nasopharyngeal samples from toddlers co-carrying multiple pneumococcal strains.

Methods

Pneumococcal serotypes were detected in nasopharyngeal swabs (collected in a cross-sectional study from children aged <5 years) using conventional culture method followed by testing in serotype-specific qPCRs the DNA extracted from all bacterial growth harvested from culture-plates. Next, we quantified with qPCR serotypes in uncultured samples and compared serotype ranks before and after culture-enrichment.

Results

Co-presence of multiple serotypes has been detected in 37 (5.6%) of 658 nasopharyngeal samples. The number of serotype carriage events detected by any method in these 37 samples was 83 (2-5 per sample) while the number of strains cultured was 42 (1-2 per sample). For the majority of samples (n=27 or 73%) the serotype ranks in uncultured and culture-enriched samples matched. A shift in serotype rank was observed in 11% of the samples (4 of 37) whereas in another 16% (6 of 37) the discordance was due to fewer serotypes detected in uncultured samples.

Conclusions

While increasing sensitivity of carriage detection, culture-enrichment has limited impact on the rank of serotypes present in nasopharyngeal swabs and can therefore be used to provide insight into co-carriage dynamics.

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DYNAMICS OF PNEUMOCOCCAL CARRIAGE ASSOCIATED WITH INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS (ID 975)

Abstract

Background

In older adults, pneumococcal disease is strongly associated with viral respiratory infections, though the impact of viruses on pneumococcal carriage remains poorly understood. Here, we have investigated effects of influenza-like illness (ILI) on pneumococcal carriage in older adults.

Methods

Pneumococcal presence was determined in saliva samples that were collected in the 2014/2015 influenza season from individuals aged ≥60 years, including 232 individuals with ILI sampled trice and 194 controls sampled twice. Pneumococcal carriage was detected with quantitative-PCRs targeting piaB and lytA genes in minimally-processed saliva and culture-enriched saliva. Bacterial and pneumococcal abundances were determined in minimally-processed saliva. Respiratory viruses were detected in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples using qPCR.

Results

In general, pneumococcal carriage was significantly associated with exposure to young children and rhinovirus infection. The prevalence of pneumococcal carriage was highest at ILI-onset (18%) and lowest among controls (11-13%). Compared with controls, both absolute and relative pneumococcal abundances were significantly elevated at ILI-onset and remained elevated 7-9 weeks later. Pneumococcal abundances were highest in individuals with carriage acquisition between ILI-onset and 2-3 weeks later.

Conclusions

Our findings support the notion that in older adults acute respiratory infections favor pneumococcal colonization of the upper respiratory tract and this impact persists beyond recovery from ILI.

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