Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in healthy children attending day-care centers in 12 states in Mexico.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is a major factor in the transmission of this bacterium.


METHODS
Nasopharyngeal cultures were performed on children attending 32 day-care centers in 12 states in Mexico.


RESULTS
Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from the nasopharynx of 829 out of 2,777(29.9%) subjects aged two months to six years. All children lived in urban areas and 80% spent more than six hours daily in a day-care center. Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes most frequently identified were: 19F (23%), 6B (15.6%), 23F (11.2%) and 6A (14.9%). Thirty-six percent of the isolates were susceptible to penicillin.


CONCLUSIONS
Serotype distribution suggests the possible benefits that could be obtained from the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
Espinosa-de Los Monteros
Luz Elena
LE
Hospital General Dr Manuel Gea González, Mexico. espinosaluzelena@hotmail.com
Jiménez-Rojas
Verónica
V
Aguilar-Ituarte
Felipe
F
Cashat-Cruz
Miguel
M
Reyes-López
Alfonso
A
Rodríguez-Suárez
Romeo
R
Kuri-Morales
Pablo
P
Tapia-Conyer
Roberto
R
Gómez-Barreto
Demóstenes
D
D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008800:Mexico; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D010406:Penicillins; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines