Utkarsh Gupta, India

King George’s Medical University Microbiology

Author Of 1 Presentation

NASOPHARYNGEAL CARRIAGE OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE SEROTYPES AMONG HEALTHY CHILDREN IN NORTH INDIA (ID 318)

Abstract

Background

Streptococcus pneumonia (SP) causes morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. India introduced 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) in 2017. Current study was conducted to isolate SP from nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs of healthy children and assess changes in serotypes among PCV vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

Methods

Cross-sectional study was conducted (July-August 2019) in Lucknow District, North India. Children (2-59 months) who had no clear illness/hospitalization (last one-month) were recruited from vaccination-clinics of hospitals. After NP specimen collection, bacterial culture was done using 5% sheep agar-blood plate containing gentamicin. Pneumococcal isolates were identified by optochin-sensitivity and bile-solubility. Serotyping was done using Quellung Method

Results

Of 300 children, 56.7%(170/300) were males and 52.0%(156/300) were 2-11 months. Overall SP colonization rate was 37.6% (113/300). Vaccine serotypes isolated were 18C,19A,19F,23F,3,4,6A,6B,9V. Among 60% (181/300) PCV vaccinated, SP positivity was 37.5% (68/181) and vaccine serotype were 39.7% (27/68). Among 40% (119/300) non-PCV vaccinated-children, 37.8%(47/119)had NP colonization positive and PCV-13 serotypes were 37.7%(17/47). Non-Vaccine serotypes were 10A,15A,15B,15C,21,34,35B,22F and similar in vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

Conclusions

About 4 of 10 healthy children had NP colonization with SP and around 40% serotypes were covered by PCV-13. Our preliminary data suggests that SP colonization rate and serotype isolates were similar in vaccinated and unvaccinated children

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