[Nasopharyngeal carriage rate of Moraxella catarrhalis among children under 6 years of age in Mashhad city and antibiotic-resistance pattern in Moraxella catarrhalis isolates]

ABSTRACT

Nasopharyngeal colonization of Moraxella catarrhalis were in young children may be important so in this study the nasopharyngeal carriage and antimicrobial susceptibility of Moraxella catarrhalis were among children was surveyed in Mashhad. This cross sectional study was performed from Jan 2005 to Feb 2006. 1161 healthy children aged under 6 years attending day-care centers in Mashhad city were studied. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected by sterile swabs and then inoculated on selective agar. After 24h incubation microbiological tests were performed and antimicrobial sensitivity tests were done. Of 1161 children 572[49.3%] were boys and 589[50.7%] were girls and the mean age was 4.2 years. Moraxella catarrha liswere recovered from 54 [4.65%]. The rate of resistance to at least one antibiotic was 35.2%, 100%, 68.51%, 46.30%, 00%, and 74% to Co-timoxazol, Penicillin, Erythromycin, Cefixime, Amoxicillin clavunic acid, Amoxicillin respectively. Although the rate of the carrier nasopharyngeal Moraxella catarrhalis in the Mashhad city was low [4.65%], the resistant rate to the antibiotics was high. In order to avoid of excessive antibiotic use and subsequently high rate of resistance, enough education not only to the physicians but also general population is necessary