Nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae among under-five year old children at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence, risk factors and antibiotic sensitivity of streptococcus pneumoniae carried in the upper respiratory tract of children.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study on consecutive clients.


METHODS
Maternal Child Health Clinic (MCH) at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in western Kenya.


METHODS
Seventy eight of children attending Maternal Child Health Clinic between March 10th 2003 and July 11th 2003.


METHODS
Upper airway carriage status, ventilation, housing, age, illness, sensitivity patterns.


RESULTS
Fifty six percent were boys; the median age was six months (range 1-42 months). Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage rate was in 28 (35.9%) cases. Fifty two percent of S. pneumoniae were resistant to penicillin, 25% to ampicillin and 78% to cotrimoxazole. There was significant association between the type of floor with pneumococcal carriage (p = 0.009) with people living in earth floor houses being five times more likely to be pneumococcal carriers as compared to those living in cement floor houses.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant resistance of S. pneumoniae to penicillin, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole was found. Earth floored houses may increase susceptibility to upper airway S. pneumoniae carriage.


CONCLUSIONS
Similar studies should be conducted in other parts of Kenya in order to learn about susceptibility patterns and associated risk factors, including floor type, in the country and tailor better treatment regimens.
Nyandiko
W M
WM
Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, Moi University, P.O. Box 4606, Eldoret, Kenya.
Greenberg
D
D
Shany
E
E
Yiannoutsos
C T
CT
Musick
B
B
Mwangi
A W
AW
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003441:Crowding; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings / Q000592:standards; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000494:pharmacology; D014691:Ventilation / Q000592:standards
D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination