Nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae among under-five year old children at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence, risk factors and antibiotic sensitivity of streptococcus pneumoniae carried in the upper respiratory tract of children.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study on consecutive clients.

SETTING

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

SUBJECTS

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

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

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.

RECOMMENDATION

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.