Kathryn M. Edwards, United States of America

Vanderbilt University Medical Center Pediatrics

Author Of 1 Presentation

PNEUMOCOCCAL COLONIZATION DENSITY PATTERNS OVER TIME IN YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES (ID 246)

Abstract

Background

Factors associated with nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization density have not been comprehensively characterized. Age, immunization status, geographical location, population density, season, and/or acute respiratory illness (ARI) may play a role. We assessed longitudinal colonization density patterns in young rural Peruvian children.

Methods

Nasopharyngeal samples were collected monthly from children aged <3 years followed prospectively each week for ARI from May 2009-September 2011. PCV7 was introduced in the region in 2009. Longitudinally-collected samples from a convenience sample of children with >=1 pneumococcus-positive sample underwent density assessment by lytA qPCR. Density values were log10-transformed to reduce skewness. Assessments were stratified by enrollment age.

Results

Pneumococcus was detected in 471/625 (75%) samples from 30 children; 20/30 (67%) were enrolled before age 1. Variability was observed in colonization densities by calendar quarter and enrollment age, with substantial overlap in density levels and trajectories over time among age groups (Figure). Median densities during ARI episodes (n=62) were 5.60 (IQR 4.36-6.24) compared to non-ARI periods (5.00 [3.98-5.93], n=409, p=0.023). fig_1_01.13.20.jpg

Conclusions

Among these children, density varied by ARI status but did not clearly decrease with age. Future trajectory analyses will assess serotype-specific density colonization patterns and the association of serotype co-colonization, vaccination, and ARI status with pneumococcal density over time.

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