Biofilm formation of serotype 19 Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates in relation to clinical isolate source, pH and Fe(III) supplementation

Aims@#Streptococcus pneumoniae is one the world’s foremost bacterial pathogens that cause massive global mortality and morbidity in young children and immunocompromised adults especially in developing countries. Biofilms have been increasingly recognized as an important prerequisite to disease. Individual S. pneumoniae strains differ markedly in their virulence phenotypes, but genetic heterogeneity has complicated attempts to identify any association between a given clonal lineage and propensity to cause a particular disease type. This study investigated serotype 19 S. pneumoniae from blood and ear isolates for biofilm formation capacity in relation to isolate source, pH and ferric oxide [Fe(III)] supplementation.@*Methodology and results@#Viable count and density biofilm assays, microscopy and multi locus sequence typing (MLST) were applied to investigate biofilm formation capacity and genetic diversity of serotype 19 S. pneumoniae from blood and ear isolates. Generally, blood isolates were observed to produce more biofilms at both pH 7.4 and 6.8 compared to the ear isolates. The supplementation of Fe(III) was also found to support biofilm growth. Upon MLST typing of the isolates, marked differences in biofilm formation within the same sequence types (ST) of ST199 and ST177 was observed. This strongly indicated that strains within the same sequence type show differences in biofilm formation capacity.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#This study showed that despite belonging to the same serotype, serotype 19, S. pneumoniae blood and ear isolates showed high diversity in biofilm formation ability in relation to pH and Fe(III) supplementation. Additionally, pneumococcal isolates from sequence types ST199 and ST177 also gave rise to differences in biofilm formation ability within the same sequence type (ST). The diversity of biofilm formation within serotype 19 seen in this study is significant to further inform of vaccination strategies against pneumococcal infections, in that due to variations in biofilm formation capacity within the same ST. It is possible that within serotype 19 may show variable vaccination or drug treatment responses. This also indicates that the current treatment strategy which employs specific serotype selection as for PCV14 and PCV7 pneumococcal vaccines may not produce the desired therapeutic results.

Bacterial meningitis in patients with sickle cell anemia in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: a report on ten cases

ABSTRACT Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a common genetic blood disorder, affecting millions worldwide. According to current evidence, individuals with SCA have more than 300 times greater risk to develop bacterial meningitis (BM) than the general population. Herein we have described the characteristics of a series of BM cases in SCA patients in Salvador, Brazil, during 13 years of hospital-based surveillance. Data on clinical presentation, laboratory parameters and outcomes were collected retrospectively by reviewing medical records. From 1999 to 2011, ten SCA patients were identified among the 2511 cases of BM (10/2511; 0.40%). These patients were more likely to be male (90%) and to be younger (median age 8.5 years). The causative agents were Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 5) and Haemophilus influenzae (n = 1). The most frequent pneumococcal serotypes were 23 F (2 cases), 14, 18 F, 23B (one case each). Common medical complications were stroke (n = 3); heart failure (n = 2), respiratory problems (n = 2), renal dysfunctions (n = 2) and leg ulcers (n = 1). This study highlights the importance of S. pneumoniae as a causative agent of meningitis in individuals with SCA and shows the diversity of comorbidities associated with this condition.

Streptococcus pneumoniae sensibilidade a antimicrobianos e detecção de genes de resistência em isolados de crianças com pneumonia adquirida na comunidade em Fortaleza, Ceará

A infecção respiratória aguda (IRA) é uma síndrome clínica, em que cerca de 80% dasmortes são atribuídas à pneumonia, uma doença grave que atinge o trato respiratórioinferior. O agente etiológico comumente isolado na pneumonia adquirida nacomunidade (PAC) é o Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae). As doençaspneumocócicas começam com a colonização do S. pneumoniae na nasofaringe, podendoprogredir para doença invasiva. Nas últimas décadas, o aumento do número de cepas deS. pneumoniae resistentes a antibióticos β-lactâmicos e a macrolídeos tem dificultado otratamento das infecções pneumocócicas. Os objetivos desse estudo foram determinar àprevalência de portadores de S. pneumoniae em crianças com PAC, o perfil desensibilidade a antimicrobianos e distribuição dos sorotipos, em Fortaleza, Brasil. Ascepas de S. pneumoniae foram isoladas de aspirados de nasofaringe de crianças comPAC atendidas no Hospital Infantil Albert Sabin (HIAS). Para a determinação dasConcentrações Inibitórias Mínimas (CIM) foi utilizado o método de E-test para osseguintes antimicrobianos: penicilina, ceftriaxona, sulfametoxazol/trimetoprim,amoxicilina, clindamicina e eritromicina. A genotipagem das cepas de S. pneumoniaefoi realizada pela técnica de multiplex PCR. De 527 amostras de crianças com PAC,foram isolados S. pneumoniae em 30,17%...

Acute respiratory infection is a clinical syndrome in which about 80% of deathsattributed to pneumonia, which is a serious disease that affects the lower respiratorytract. The etiologic agent commonly isolated in community-acquired pneumonia isStreptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae). Pneumococcal disease begins withcolonization of S. pneumoniae in the nasopharynx, which may progress to invasivedisease markedly. In recent decades, the increasing number of strains of S. pneumoniaeresistant to -lactam antibiotics and macrolides has hampered the treatment ofpneumococcal infections. The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) theprevalence of carriers of S. pneumoniae in children with community-acquiredpneumonia; (2) the profile of the sensitivity of the causative agent and the antimicrobial;(3) the distribution of serotypes existing in Fortaleza. The strains of S. pneumoniae wereisolated from nasopharyngeal aspirates from children with community-acquiredpneumonia treated at Children's Hospital Albert Sabin public. Penicillin, ceftriaxone,sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim, amoxicillin, clindamycin and erythromycin: Todetermine the minimum inhibitory concentration method the E-test for the followingantimicrobials were used. Genotyping of the strains of S. pneumoniae was performed bymultiplex PCR. A total of 527 samples with carriers of community-acquired pneumoniain children were isolated 30.17% of strains of S...

Nasopharyngyeal Carriage and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae, in Children under Five Years at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda.

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, causing 25-30% of all deaths in developing countries. Pneumococcal disease is a significant public health problem that usually follows pneumococcal colonization of the nasopharynix. We determined the prevalence of nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and risk factors for nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae among under fives attending Maternal Child Health Clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH). Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study between August and November 2012. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from four hundred healthy children were cultured on blood agar and chocolate agar and incubated for 24 hours at 37⁰C in carbon dioxide jar. Upon growth the organisms were identified by colonial appearance and standard biochemical tests. Antimicrobial resistance to six antibiotics was performed using Kirby Bauer method on chocolate agar and interpreted according to CLSI guide lines. Results: The prevalence of S. pneumoniae in the cultured samples was reported at 19% (76/400). Of the positive isolates, 75/76 (99%) and 55/76 (77%) were shown to be resistant to cotrimoxazole and tetracycline, respectively. Among the factors assessed for nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae none was significantly associated with carriage. Conclusion: Despite the low rate of carriers of S. pneumoniae, a remarkable resistance of these isolates to cotrimoxazole and tetracycline was detected.

O exercício aeróbio atenua a inflamação pulmonar induzida pelo Streptococcus pneumoniae / Aerobic exercise attenuates pulmonary inflammation induced by Streptococcus pneumoniae

O treinamento aeróbio moderado tem sido reconhecido como um importante estimulador do sistema imune, no entanto o efeito deste na infecção bacteriana não tem sido extensivamente estudado. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar se o exercício aeróbio moderado prévio à infecção por S. pneumoniae influencia a resposta inflamatória pulmonar. Camundongos BALB/C foram divididos em 4 grupos: Controle (animais sedentários; não infectados); S. pneumoniae (animais sedentários e posteriormente infectados); Exercício (animais treinados; não infectados); Exercício + S. pneumoniae (animais treinados e posteriormente infectados). Os animais foram submetidos a um programa de treinamento físico aeróbio durante 4 semanas, e 72 horas após a última sessão de exercício, os animais receberam instilação nasal de S. pneumoniae (linhagem M10) e foram avaliados 12 horas (fase aguda) ou 10 dias (fase tardia) após a instilação. Na fase aguda, o grupo S. pneumoniae apresentou um aumento de: resistência e elastância do sistema respiratório, número total de células, neutrófilos, linfócitos e macrófagos no lavado broncoalveolar (BAL), células polimorfonucleares no parênquima pulmonar e TNF-alfa e IL-1beta no homogenato pulmonar. O exercício físico atenuou significantemente esses parâmentros. Além disso, o exercício físico resultou em aumento da expressão de enzimas antioxidantes no pulmão (CuZnSOD and MnSOD). Na fase tardia, o grupo Exercício + S. pneumoniae apresentou redução no número total de células e macrófagos no BAL, células polimorfonucleares no parênquima pulmonar e IL-6 no homogenato pulmonar comparado ao grupo S. pneumoniae. Nossos resultados sugerem um efeito protetor do exercício aeróbio moderado contra a infecção bacteriana pulmonar. Esse efeito é provavelmente secundário ao efeito do exercício no balanço oxidante-antioxidante.

Moderate aerobic exercise training has been recognized as an important stimulator of the immune system, but its effect on bacterial infection has not been extensively studied. Our aim was to determine whether moderate aerobic exercise training prior to S. pneumoniae infection influences pulmonary inflammatory responses. BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups: Control (sedentary without infection); S. pneumoniae (sedentary with infection); Exercise (aerobic training without infection); Exercise + S. pneumoniae (aerobic training with infection). Animals underwent aerobic exercise training for 4 weeks. 72 h after last exercise training, animals received a challenge with S. pneumoniae (strain M10) and were evaluated either 12 h (acute phase) or 10 days (late phase) after instillation. In acute phase, S. pneumoniae group had an increase in respiratory system resistance and elastance; number of total cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL); polymorphonuclear cells in lung parenchyma; and levels of TNF-alfa and IL-1beta in lung homogenates. Exercise training significantly attenuated the increase in all of these parameters. In addition, exercise induced an increase in expression of antioxidant enzymes (CuZnSOD and MnSOD) in lungs. In late phase, Exercise + S. pneumoniae group exhibited a reduction in number of total cells and macrophages in BAL, in polymorphonuclear cells in lung parenchyma and in levels of IL-6 in lung homogenates compared to S. pneumoniae group. Our results suggest a protective effect of moderate exercise training against respiratory infection with S. pneumoniae. This effect is most likely secondary to an effect of exercise on oxidant-antioxidant balance.

Cambios en el Patrón Epidemiológico y resistencia Bacteriana de la Meningitis Bacteriana Aguda en Niños en un hospital de referencia

Introducción. Pos-introducción de la vacuna anti-H. influenzae tipo b (HIB) se ha observado en Latinoamérica significantes cambios en el perfil epidemiológico y de la susceptibilidad de los gérmenes causantes de meningitis bacteriana aguda. No se disponen de estudios similares en el Paraguay. Objetivo: Estudiar el panorama epidemiológico actual de la meningitis bacteriana aguda en el Paraguay, posterior a la introducción de la vacuna anti-HIB en el país, en un hospital de referencia. Materiales y métodos: Estudio observacional y retrospectivo en el que se incluyeron todos los casos de meningitis bacteriana aguda en niños 3 meses hospitalizados en el IMT desde enero de 1993 a junio del 2006. Se analizaron las fichas clínicas de los pacientes (pts) incluyendo datos demográficos, etiológicos y la evolución clínica. Los pts fueron estratificados según el año de hospitalización en tres periodos: Periodo I (PER I), que incluyó los que se hospitalizaron entre 1993 y 1997, PER II entre 1998 y 2002 y PER III del 2003 a 2006. Se determinó la CIM a penicilina (PEN) y cefotaxima (CFX) de los aislados de S. pneumoniae (Spn) por el método ipsilométrico (E-test) realizándose la serotipificación por la reacción de Quellung. Resultados: En el periodo de estudio se hospitalizaron 394 pts con meningitis bacteriana aguda. La edad media fue 2.9 + 4 años, con discreto predominio del sexo masculino (relación 1.2/1). La serotipificación realizada en 31 cepas de Spn (a partir del 2000) mostró que solo 50% de los serotipos correspondieron a los incluidos en la vacuna conjugada antineumocóccica actualmente disponible, siendo el 14 (9/31, 29%) el más frecuente. Conclusiones: La introducción de vacuna anti Hib ha producido un importante cambio epidemiológico de la meningitis bacteriana aguda en nuestra institución, constituyendo actualmente el S. pneumoniae el principal causante de meningitis bacteriana aguda. Se siguen observando, sin embargo, casos esporádicos de meningitis bacteriana aguda por HIB. Aunque se constata un significativo incremento de la resistencia de Spn a PEN, la resistencia a CTX se halla todavía <10%.

Abstract Introduction. Post-introduction of the anti-H. influenzae type b (HIB) vaccine has been observed in Latin America a significant changes in the epidemiological profile and susceptibility of germs that cause acute bacterial meningitis. No similar studies have in Paraguay. Aim: Study the current epidemiological situation of acute bacterial meningitis in a referral hospital after the introduction of Hib vaccine in Paraguay. Materials and methods: observational, retrospective study in which all cases of acute bacterial meningitis in children 3 months hospitalized in the IMT from January 1993 to June 2006 included the medical records of patients were analyzed (pts) including demographics, etiologic and clinical outcome. Pts were stratified by year of hospitalization in three periods: Period I (PER I), which included those who were hospitalized between 1993 and 1997, PER II between 1998 and 2002 and PER 2003 to 2006. III CIM was determined penicillin (PEN) and cefotaxime (CFX) isolates of S. pneumoniae (SPN) for the ipsilométrico method (E-test) carried out by the reaction serotyping Quellung. Results: During the study period 394 pts with acute bacterial meningitis were hospitalized. The mean age was 2.9 ± 4 years, with discreet predominance of males (ratio 1.2 / 1). Serotyping performed in 31 strains of Spn (since 2000) it showed that only 50% corresponded to serotypes included in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine currently available, with 14 (9/31, 29%) the most frequent. Conclusions: The introduction of Hib vaccine has been a major epidemiological change of acute bacterial meningitis in our institution, now constituting the S. pneumoniae the leading cause of acute bacterial meningitis. Are still evident, however, sporadic cases of acute bacterial meningitis HIB. Although a significant increase in resistance of Spn PEN, CTX resistance is observed is still only <10%.

Spectrum and potency of ceftaroline against leading pathogens causing community-acquired respiratory tract and skin and soft tissue infections in Latin America, 2010

Ceftaroline, the active metabolite of the prodrug ceftaroline fosamil, is a cephalosporin with in vitro bactericidal activity against Gram-positive organisms, including methicillinsusceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus, β-haemolytic and viridans group streptococci, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, as well as common Gram-negative organisms. In this study a total of 986 isolates collected in 2010 from patients in 15 medical centers in five Latin American countries from the Assessing Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation Program were identified as community-acquired respiratory tract or skin and soft tissue infection pathogens. Ceftaroline was the most potent agent tested against S. pneumoniae with a MIC90 value (0.12 µg/mL) that was eight-fold lower than ceftriaxone, levofloxacin, and linezolid. Its spectrum of coverage (100.0% susceptible) was similar to tigecycline, linezolid, levofloxacin and vancomycin. Against Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, ceftaroline was the most active agent tested. The activity of ceftaroline against S. aureus (including MRSA) was similar to that of vancomycin and tetracycline (MIC90,1 µg/mL) and linezolid (MIC90,2 Jg/mL). The 1-haemolytic streptococci exhibited 100.0% susceptibility to ceftaroline. Ceftaroline activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., and Enterobacter spp. was similar to that of ceftriaxone and ceftazidime. These parenteral cephalosporin agents have potent activity against non-extended-spectrum These parenteral cephalosporin agents have potent activity against non-extended-spectrum-lactamase-phenotype strains, but are not active against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-phenotype strains. These results confirm the in vitro activity of ceftaroline against pathogens common in communityacquired respiratory tract and skin and soft tissue infection in Latin America, and suggest that ceftaroline fosamil could be an important therapeutic option for these infections.

Caracterização molecular de sorotipos não-vacinais de Streptococcus pneumoniae isolados de pacientes com meningite em Salvador, antes e após a implementação da vacina conjugada PCV-10 / Molecular characterization of non-vaccine serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from meningitis patients in Salvador, before and after implementation of the conjugate vaccine PCV-10

O advento das vacinas pneumocócicas conjugadas veio contribuir de forma decisiva para a redução da incidência dos casos de doença invasiva por S. pneumoniae em vários países do mundo. Em contrapartida, tem-se verificado um aumento de casos decorrentes de sorotipos não vacinais, que escapam da vacina e reduzem o seu efeito a partir da expansão de clones pré-existentes com consequente substituição de sorotipos e/ou do fenômeno de troca capsular (capsular switching). No Brasil, a vacina conjugada 10-valente (PCV10) foi introduzida no calendário nacional de imunização a partir de 2010. Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar através de técnicas fenotípicas e moleculares os sorotipos não-vacinais (SNVT) de S.pneumoniae, isolados de pacientes com meningite nos períodos anterior (janeiro/2008 - junho/2010) e posterior (julho/2010 - dezembro/2012) à implementação da vacina pneumocócica conjugada 10-valente (PCV10), na cidade de Salvador, Bahia. Os isolados de S. pneumoniae foram identificados através de métodos microbiológicos clássicos e a determinação do tipo capsular foi realizada através da técnica de Multiplex-PCR e/ou reação de Quellung. A sensibilidade a oito antimicrobianos foi realizada através da técnica de microdiluição em caldo e a caracterização genotípica por intermédio das técnicas de PFGE e MLST...

The licensure and subsequent widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have contributed for the reduction in the overall incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease worldwide. However, the emergence of Streptococcus pneumoniae nonvaccine serotypes (SNVT), which escape from the vaccine by the expansion of pre-existing clones following serotype replacement and/or by capsular switching is a matter of concern. In 2010, Brazil introduced the 10-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) into its routine National Immunization Program. Our aim was to characterize the phenotypic and genotypic profile of S. pneumoniae non-vacine serotypes (SNVT) isolated from patients with meningitis before (January 2008 – June 2010) and after (July 2010 – December 2012) the introduction of PCV10 in Salvador, Bahia. The pneumococcal isolates were identified by classical microbiological methods and submitted to capsular deduction by multiplex-PCR and/or Quellung reaction. The antimicrobial susceptibility was performed the broth microdilution method. The genotypic profile was assessed by PFGE and MLST...

Tratamiento de la neumonía por Streptococcus pneumoniae y consideraciones de resistencia / Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia treatment and resistence considerations

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia in children and has become a topic of controversy for epidemiological changes that have been seen in recent years with the advent of the vaccine and the emergence of serotypes that cause increased morbidity which were not covered by the heptavalent vaccine. Also there have been changes in the concepts of resistance in recent years. This has led to the reevaluation of the use of specific antibiotics for management.

El Streptococcus pneumoniae es la causa bacteriana más frecuente de neumonía en los niños y se ha convertido en un tema de controversia por los cambios epidemiológicos que se han visto en los últimos años con el advenimiento de la vacuna y el surgimiento de serotipos que causan mayor morbilidad que no estaban cubiertos por la vacuna heptavalente. Igualmente se han presentado cambios en los conceptos de resistencia en los últimos años. Esto ha motivado la reevaluación del uso de los antibióticos específicos para su manejo.

Comparación de la respuesta inmunológica frente a cepas de S. pneumoniae, evaluada por hemaglutinación, en niños inmunizados con vacuna neumocócica heptavalente (dos primovacunaciones con o sin refuerzo) / Comparison of the immune response against strains of S. pneumoniae, assessed by hemagglutination, in children immunized with heptavalent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (two primary vaccinations with or without reinforcement)

Introducción. Diferentes esquemas de inmunización con la vacuna antineumocócica heptavalente han probado su eficacia. Aunque se recomiendan pautas vacunales de dos o tres primovacunaciones con su respectivo refuerzo adicional, aún hay niños con primovacunaciones sin refuerzo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue comparar la respuesta inmunológica contra S. pneumoniae en niños bajo distintos esquemas de inmunización (dos o tres dosis) con vacuna antineumocócica heptavalente. Métodos. Se realizó un estudio observacional y transversal para comparar la respuesta inmunológica entre los grupos A (dos primovacunaciones sin refuerzo) y B (dos primovacunaciones con refuerzo). Se analizó la respuesta inmunológica escasa por medio de hemaglutinación positiva (dilución ≤ 1:2). Se calculó la razón de momios (OR) y se aplicó la prueba exacta de Fisher. Resultados. No se encontraron diferencias clínicas entre los grupos A (n = 14) y B (n = 15). Hubo mayor proporción de respuesta inmunológica escasa en el grupo A [57% vs 13%; OR 8.7 (IC 95% 1.3-53.8); p = 0.017]. Conclusiones. La respuesta inmunológica escasa contra S. pneumoniae es mayor en los esquemas de dos dosis de primovacunación sin refuerzo que cuando se utilizan dos dosis de primovacunación con refuerzo.

Background. Different patterns of heptavalent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine immunization have proven effective. Although three and four doses are recommended, there are still children who are administered schemes of two primary vaccination doses without reinforcement. The aim of this study was to compare the immune response against S. pneumoniae in children (group A and group B) submitted to different immunization schemes (two primary vaccination doses with or without reinforcement). Methods. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study comparing the immune response between group A and group B, analyzing the weak immune response with positive hemagglutination dilution ≤1:2. Odds ratio (OR) and Fisher's exact test were used. Results. There were no clinical differences between group A (n = 14) and group B (n = 15). There was a higher proportion of weak immune response in group A (57% vs. 13%, OR 8.7 (95% CI 1.3-53.8, p = 0.017). Conclusions. Weak immune response against S. pneumoniae is higher in schemes primed with two doses of heptavalent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine without reinforcement than using the two-dose schedule + a booster of heptavalent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine.

Detection of bacterial meningitis among children in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 2002 to 2010 / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

Background. Bacterial meningitis is a severe, potentially life-threatening infection that is associated with high rates of morbidity and significant disability in survivors. Overall mortality rates related to bacterial meningitis of around 20% to 25% have been reported by major centers. Our study is to determine the incidence rate and etiology of childhood bacterial meningitis in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.Methods. From 2002-2010, a total of CSF 433 and blood 544 samples were obtained from children age 0-5 years old. The following diagnostic criteria for bacterial meningitis in children aged 0-5 years were used: questionnaires, clinical signs and positive CSF culture and/or CSF antigen test results positive N. meningitis serogroups B, A, C, Y, and W-135, Hib or S.pneumonia; and/or positive CSF PCR results; and/or positive blood culture results with CSF pleocytosis (WBC count, >10 cells/uL). Pathogens were identified and serotype or serogroup with standard methods in the reference microbiology laboratory. Detection of bacterial pathogens with a multiplex and real-time PCR assay.Results. From totally 544 suspected cases had been detected bacterial meningitis in 260 (47, 8%) cases and sepsis in 111 [20,4%] cases respectively. The disease in the 83 [27.1 %] etiologically diagnosed patients was due to H.influenza, S. pneumonia was in 71 [36, 4%] cases and N.meningitis in 111 [24, 7%] respectively. Among the positive samples 80.6% (129/160) the specific serogroup and/or serotypes for N.meningitis serogroups A was available in 22(35, 4%) cases, for the Hib 52(96, 3%) and 6(40%) for the S.pneumoniae 7 serotype. The real time PCR assay was more sensitive for detection of meningitis pathogens than conventional methods (culture and latex agglutination), 19% in comparison with latex agglutination (p<0.0026) and by 39% in comparison with culture (p<0.001). Bacterial meningitis was identified 70.0 in 2004 among population, but it reduced until 5.0 in 2009. The incidence of Hib meningitis was 2002-2005y, N.meningitis and S.pneumoniae meningitis were 2006-2008y, S.pneumonia meningitis was more higher 2009-201 Oy comparing with other pathogens.Conclusion. N.meningitidls, S.pneumoniae H.influenzae type b are the leading causative agents of childhood bacterial meningitis in Ulaanbaatar, and the incidence rate is higher than what were reported in other Asian countries.

Childhood Pneumococcal Diseases and Serotypes: Can Vaccines Protect.

Objectives To describe pneumococcal diseases in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and non-PICU patients. Methods The clinical, serotypes, and antibacterial sensitivity patterns of all children admitted to the pediatric wards (including PICU) of a university-affiliated teaching hospital from 2007 through 2009 with pneumococcal isolates were reviewed. Results Twelve cases of pneumococcal disease in children from 2007 through 2009 were reported. Five patients were admitted to PICU and 7 were general pediatric admissions. Four patients (2 PICU and 2 general pediatric) had received full or partial 7-valent pneumococcal vaccinations. All four patients recovered following systemic antibiotic treatment without sequelae. The serotypes of all PICU and some general pediatric cases were available and included 3, 6B, 19A and 19F. All isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. 50% were intermediate resistant/resistant to penicillin and 17% resistant to cefotaxime. PICU cases required longer total hospital stay (23 days vs 5 days, p=0.013). Three patients were ventilated and one received inotropic support. There was no death in this series. Conclusions Pneumococcal disease may develop despite prior vaccination. The expanded coverage of newer polyvalent pneumococcal vaccines might have prevented some, but not all, of these admissions.

Community Acquired Pneumonia / 가정의학회지

Various bacteriae, viruses, fungi, parasites may cause community acquired pneumonia and out of them, S. pneumoniae is the most common cause. As finding out causative pathogen in community acquired pneumonia which is common in primary care is often difficult, empiric antibiotic therapy is initiated. For ambulatory patients with community acquired pneumonia: 1) beta-lactam alone; 2) combination of beta-lactam and macrolides; or 3) respiratory quinolone are recommended. For inpatients without a risk of P. aeruginosa, beta-lactam plus macrolide or respiratory fluoroquinolone are recommended. The successful treatment of community-acquired pneumonia requires appropriate, empirical antimicrobial therapy.

Establishment of population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease in Bangalore, India.

Background :Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is vaccine-preventable but few data on the incidence of PD exist for Indian children. Aims: To assess the feasibility of implementing prospective, population-based surveillance for PD among children less than five years of age. Settings and Design :Hospitals and health agencies, Bangalore, India. Retrospective review and analysis of hospitalization records as well as public health and demographic data. Material and Methods : Records for 2006 hospitalizations for pneumococcal disease-associated syndromes (meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis) were identified at three pediatric referral hospitals (Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Kempegowda Institute of Child Health and Vani Vilas Hospital) in Bangalore using International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision codes. Hospital microbiology laboratory records were assessed to ensure capacity for identifying S. pneumoniae. Population data were identified from national census and polio surveillance data. Results : The Bangalore city southern zone includes 33 wards occupying 51 Km 2 with 150,945 children between 0-5 years of age served by three referral pediatric hospitals. From January--December 2006, records of these three hospitals showed 2,219 hospitalizations of children less than five years of age (967 pneumonia, 768 sepsis, and 484 meningitis) with PD-associated diagnoses (southern zone area incidence: 0.15/100,000 PD-associated hospitalizations, less than five years of age). There were 178 deaths in children less than five years of age, of which 87 were attributable to sepsis, 56 to pneumonia and 35 to meningitis. Conclusion : Our analysis suggests that the PD-associated disease burden in Bangalore is high and local institutions have capacity for population-based surveillance. In a prospective study, systematic attention to potential barriers in identifying children with pneumococcal infections will improve estimation of IPD incidence in India.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Pneumococcal Protein Conjugate Vaccine

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major etiology of serious bacterial infection among children worldwide. Among the 91 serotypes, the majority of invasive infections are caused by 10 common serotypes, 14, 16, 18, 19, 23, 4, 9, 7, 1, and 3. However, the ranking and serotype prevalence differ by age group and country. The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was licensed for use among infants and young children in many countries including Korea. The routine use of PCV7 has resulted in a decreased incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease by the vaccine serotypes among the vaccines (direct effect). However, it is notable that substantial declines in invasive diseases among older children and adults ensued through indirect effects on transmission (i.e., herd immunity). In addition, there are increasing evidences to suggest that routine immunization with PCV7 is changing the epidemiology of pneumococcal diseases such as serotype distribution of invasive disease, nasopharyngeal colonization, and antibiotic resistance patterns. In contrast, there is a small increase in the number of invasive diseases caused by nonvaccine serotypes, so called 'replacement phenomenon', though it is still minor compared with overall declines of vaccine-serotype diseases. Of those, the increase in the 19A-related disease has become most prominent. In Korea, a remarkable increase of 19A was noted before the introduction of PCV7. The emergence of resistance and replacement of disease by nonvaccine strains should be closely monitored.

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. MATERIAL AND 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 percent) subjects aged two months to six years. All children lived in urban areas and 80 percent spent more than six hours daily in a day-care center. Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes most frequently identified were: 19F (23 percent), 6B (15.6 percent), 23F (11.2 percent) and 6A (14.9 percent). 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.

OBJETIVO: La intención de este estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de portadores nasofaríngeos asintomáticos de Streptococcus pneumoniae, el cual es el principal factor en la transmisión de esta bacteria. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Los cultivos nasofaríngeos fueron realizados en niños que asisten a 32 estancias infantiles en 12 estados de México. RESULTADOS: Streptococcus pneumoniae fue aislado de la nasofaringe de 829 (29.9 por ciento) niños de los 2 777 incluidos en el estudio con un rango de edad de 2 meses a 6 años. Todos los niños vivían en áreas urbanas y 80 por ciento permanecían más de seis horas diarias en la estancia infantil. Los serotipos de Streptococcus pneumoniae más frecuentemente identificados fueron: 19F (23 por ciento), 6B (15.6 por ciento), 23F (11.2 por ciento) y 6 A (14.9 por ciento). Treinta y seis por ciento de los aislamientos fueron susceptibles a penicilina. CONCLUSIONES: La distribución de serotipos nos da una idea de los posibles beneficios que podrían obtenerse de la vacuna neumocóccica conjugada heptavalente.

Epidemiology and Etiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the 12th leading cause of death among Korean population in 2005. In spite of sophisticated diagnostic assessments and treatment techniques, the management of the pneumonia is still challenging. Furthermore, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms poses difficulties to the selection of optimal antimicrobial agents. The empirical antibiotic regimen for the community-acquired pneumonia is based on the epidemiologic characteristics of the causative pathogens, for example, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus after influenza outbreak, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases. The most important and frequent etiologic organism is S. pneumonia according to a prospective multicenter study by investigators including the author, followed by K. pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and M. pneumoniae in decreasing order. Still we need a nation-wide surveillance system of the community-acquired pneumonia because we are not certain about the etiology in almost half the cases of community-acquired pneumonia.

Epidemiological Study of Pneumococcal Nasal Carriage and Serotypes Among Korean Children / 소아과

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of pneumococcal nasal carriage and confirm the distribution of pneumococcal capsular serotypes in Korean children below aged 5 years old. Another reason this study was performed was to identify the theoretical coverage by seven valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, and confirm the penicillin resistant rate. METHODS: This study included 213 children, who visited out patient clinic or were hospitalized in six hospitals between August 2001 and April 2002. Nasopharyngeal swabs and cultures for S. pneumoniae were performed. Serotyping of isolated samples was performed by the Quellung reaction at the Statens Seruminstitut in Copenhagen. Penicillin MICs were determined by the agar dilution method, and interpreted according to the NCCLS guide line. RESULTS: The prevalence of pneumococcal nasal carriage rate in this study was 34.3%. A total of 31 of 73 isolates(42.5%) had intermediate resistance to penicillin, and 29 of 73 isolates(39.7%) showed a high resistance to penicillin. The predominant serotype of the S. pneumoniae isolates was 23F(22%), and the percentages of vaccine serotypes(46.6%) and associated serotypes(37%) which belong to the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine were 83.6%. The resistance pattern of pneumococcal isolates to penicillin was different among the serotypes. CONCLUSION: Pneumococcal isolates from nasal colonization of Korean children showed a high penicillin resistant rate. We assumed that newly developed seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine may offer a high theoretical coverage for the isolated strains.

Perfil microbiologico de pacientes con patologia infecciosa del segmento anterior / Patient microbiological profile with infectious pathology of the previous segment

En esta investigación fueron evaluados 286 pacientes con patología infecciosa del segmento anterior y mediante estudio microbiológico se identificaron las bacterias asociadas con la infección. En 286 cultivos bacteriológicos realizados se obtuvieron 177 aislamientos, encontrándose un 73.45 por ciento de flora gran positiva siendo las especies más frecuentes S. Epidermidis 48.46 por ciento, S. Aureus (35.38 por ciento), S.Pneumoniae (4.61 por ciento) y Corynebacterium SP. (2.31 por ciento). El 26.55 por ciento correspondía a bacilos gran negativos de los cuales el 74.47 por ciento son enterobacterias y el 25.53 por ciento microorganismos no fermentados. El mayor porcentaje de aislamientos fue realizado en pacientes con conjuntivitis bacteriana, blefaritis bacteriana, conjuntivitis inespecífica y blefaritis inespecífica.

286 patients with infectious pathology in previous segment were studied and through a microbiological study the bacteria associated with the infection were identified. From the 286 bacteriological samples, 177 were isolated, and from these 73.45 percent of Gram positive flora being the most frequent species S. epidermidis (48.46 percent), S. aureus (35.38 percent), S. pneumonia (4.61 percent)and Corynebacterium sp. (2.31 percent). The 26.55 percent corresponded to Gram negative bacilli of which the 74.47 percent are enterobacterias and the 25.53 percent were non fermented microorganisms. The highest percentages of isolations were conducted in patient with bacterial conjunctivitis, bacterial blepharitis, unspecific conjunctivitis and unspecific blepharitis.Key words: ocular infection, Gram positives and Gram negatives bacterial, bacteriological isolations, S. epidermidis, S. aureus, S. pneumonia, Corynebacterium sp.

H.influenzae and S.pneumoniae percentage in healthy children at ViXuyen (Ha Giang) and Van Don (Quang Ninh)

The study was performed on 496 healthy children under five year- old age living in Hagiang and Quangninh province to discover of carrying of H.influenzae and S.pneumoniae. The results showed that: The carries with H.influenzae in Vixuyen (Hagiang) were 24% and 14.7% in Vandon (Quangninh). Ones with S.pneumoniae were 10.7% in Vixuyen (Hagiang) and 15% in Vandon (Quangninh). Antibiotic resistance level of H.influenzae in Hagiang: co-trimoxarol 34.6%, chloramphenicol 23.1%, ampicillin 7.7%; in Vandon (Quangninh): co-trimoxarol 15%, chloramphenicol 12.8%, ampixiclin 7.5%..; no one of these strains resisted to cefuroxim axetil and norfloxacin. Antibiotic resistance level of S.pneumoniae in Vixuyen (Hagiang): co-trimoxarol 17.5%, chloramphenicol 12.5%, ampixiclin 7.7%.., no one of these strains resisted to benzyn-penixiclin; In Vandon (Quangninh): co-trimoxarol 17.5%, chloramphenicol 12.5%, no one of these strains resisted to benzyn-penixiclin.