Prevalence and antimicrobial-resistance of S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes in healthy children in the region of Madrid

• Published in: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology 2002-09, Vol.65 (2), p.117-123
• Main Authors: Herruzo, R, Chamorro, L, Garcı́a, M.E, González, M.C, López, A.M, Manceñido, N, Yébenes, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis. Health state; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-microbial resistance; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Epidemiology; Female; General aspects; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Odds Ratio; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumococcal Infections - drug therapy; Pneumococcal Infections - epidemiology; Pneumococcal Infections - microbiology; Prevalence; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Reference Values; Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - microbiology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Spain - epidemiology; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Streptococcus pneumoniae - drug effects; Streptococcus pneumoniae - isolation & purification; Streptococcus pyogenes; Streptococcus pyogenes - drug effects; Streptococcus pyogenes - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0165-5876; 1872-8464
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-5876(02)00145-3

Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes are common agents of respiratory or ORL pathology. Pneumococcus sensitivity has progressively decreased to penicillin and other antimicrobial agents, mainly in south of Europe, but this resistance report can be erroneous by a selection bias, because they sampled only hospital cases. Objectives: To determine the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and risk factors of S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes in healthy children under 5 years of age who go to infant school. Subject and Methods: Cross sectional study in six infant schools. An epidemiological inquiry (risk factors of carrier state) was filled out and a nasopharyngeal specimen was taken from each child, S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes were identified and antimicrobial tests were performed. Results: We have studied 156 children with a mean age of 2.24 (standard deviation (S.D.), 0.85) and 58% have been treated with antibiotic in the last 3 months. The prevalence of S. pneumoniae or S. pyogenes were 12.2 and 5.1%, respectively. S. pyogenes only was isolated in two schools. Age was associated with S. pyogenes carrier but the rest of studied factors have no statistical significance with both microorganisms. All the S. pneumoniae showed resistance to one or more antibiotic (mainly to clavunate-amoxycillin: 94.7%), while S. pyogenes only was resistant to clavunate-amoxycillin. Conclusion: Healthy children (0–4 years) with antibiotherapy in last 3 months have a great frequency of resistant S. pneumoniae. It is necessary to reduce the antibiotic use at home (Medical education).