Association Between Carriage of <EMPH TYPE="ITAL">Streptococcus pneumoniae</EMPH> and <EMPH TYPE="ITAL">Staphylococcus aureus</EMPH> in Children

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus are common inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract in children and are responsible for common infections. Carriage of S aureus and S pneumoniae can result in bacterial spread and endogenous infections. [1][2][3] Streptococcus pneumoniae is carried in the nasopharynx by most children at least once during early childhood 1 but not frequently by adults. 4 Staphylococcus aureus is carried by 10% to 35% of children [5][6][7] and by approximately 35% of the general adult population. 3 Staphylococcus aureus is carried most consistently in the nares.Various studies have explored bacterial interference-the suppression of one species by another. [8][9][10][11] However, studies examining possible interference between S aureus and S pneumoniae are noticeably absent. An association between these 2 pathogens may suggest epidemiologic changes that could follow widespread vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.We investigated the possible association between the 2 pathogens by studying their prevalence and risk factors for carriage in young children in a region where pneumococcal conjugate vaccination is not practiced. METHODSThe study was approved by the Sheba Medical Center Ethics Committee, Ramat-Gan, Israel. Informed consent was obtained from all parents. Study PopulationDuring February 2002, children aged 40 months or younger seen for any rea-son in 53 participating primary care pediatric clinics of a major health maintenance organization (Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel-Aviv) were enrolled. The clinics were located in 4 large cities in the central district of Israel, inhabited by a middle-class Jew-

Nasal colonization by four potential respiratory bacteria in healthy children attending kindergarten or elementary school in Seoul, Korea

“…aureus in older children (20.6 %) than in younger children (12.2 %), resembling the peak incidence of Staph. aureus carriage at 10 years of age among children in other studies (Bogaert et al, 2004b;Regev-Yochay et al, 2004). Collectively, these epidemiological data support the view that the significant increase in Staph.…”

A poke into the diversity and associations within human anterior nare microbial communities

“…However, interactions between microorganisms themselves may also influence which of the species are able to persist (Uehara et al, 2000). As an example, converse associations have been suggested between S. aureus and S. pneumoniae (Regev-Yochay et al, 2004). In addition, a decreased incidence of S. aureus colonization was observed in individuals heavily colonized by Corynebacterium spp.…”

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and Lack of Its Lytic Bacteriophages in the Anterior Nares of Patients and Healthcare Workers at a Rural Clinic

“…10 A study by Nouwen et al 12 showed that the majority of noncarriers and nearly all persistent carriers returned to their original carrier state after artificial inoculation, with a majority of persistent carriers testing positive again for their original resident strain. Epidemiologic studies, 13,14 have also reported a negative association between S. pneumoniae nasopharyngeal colonization and S. aureus nasal colonization. In a matched case-control study, Regev-Yochay et al 15 reported that the odds of co-colonization with S. aureus were significantly lower for individuals carrying a piliated versus nonpiliated S. pneumoniae strain.…”