Passive smoking and nasopharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis in daycare children

Abstract

Exposure to tobacco smoke may be associated with higher risk of nasopharyngeal colonization and infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP), Haemophilus influenzae (HI), and Moraxella catarrhalis (MC). This study was done to determine the influence of passive smoking on S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and M. catarrhalis colonization rates among children. This is a prospective cross-sectional study. Tertiary referral centers with accredited otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery and Microbiology Departments. In this cross-sectional study, 2-6 years old children in 10 randomly selected day-care centers in northeast of Iran (Mashad) were studied. Smoking exposure and medical history were recorded. Carriage rates for aforementioned bacteria were analyzed on the basis of smoking exposure. 1,125 children (Female/Male: 597/528) with the mean age of 5.05 ± 0.98 years were studied. Carriage rates of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis among children were 10.1, 8.8 and 6.7%, respectively. Mixed colonization was found in 2.7%. There was a significant difference in carriage rates between children who live in smoking families compare to those with nonsmoking families for M. catarrhalis (P = 0.001) but not for S. pneumoniae, and H. influenza (P = 0.798 and P = 0.117, respectively). It seems exposure to tobacco smoke is associated with increased carriage rate of M. catarrhalis in day-care children.

Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Streptococcus pneumonia in Pneumonia-Prone Age Groups in Semarang, Java Island, Indonesia

“…However, it was lower than those in Gambia [9], Poland [10], Australia [11], Thailand [12], and higher than those reported from Iran [13] and Korea [14]. The carriage prevalence among adults in our study was 11%, wich is higher than that found in Alaska [15], but lower than that among Australian Aboriginals of the same age [11].…”

“…This study provides further evidence that passive smoking is an independent determinant of S. pneumoniae carriage among children [10], [13]. The mechanism by which passive smoking influences the microbial ecology of the upper respiratory tract remains to be elucidated, however.…”

Nasopharyngeal vs. adenoid cultures in children undergoing adenoidectomy: prevalence of bacterial pathogens, their interactions and risk factors

“…Principi et al [4] concluded that tobacco smoke exposure of healthy children aged <5 years did not influence pathogen carriage in the upper respiratory tract but a more recent study did show increased S. pneumoniae carriage rates in children exposed to tobacco smoke [33]. By contrast, Bakhshaee et al [34] found a significant difference in carriage rates between children living in smoking families, compared to those in non-smoking families for M. catarrhalis, but not for S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae. In our cohort, passive smoking was a risk factor for increased nasopharyngeal colonization of H. influenzae and this is supported by Kosikowska et al [35] who also found increased colonization of this pathogen in healthy children aged 3-5 years, heavily exposed to tobacco smoke, as well as vulnerability to recurrent respiratory infections.…”

Haemophilus influenzae: a potent perinatal pathogen disproportionately isolated from Indigenous women and their neonates

“…Comparing the incidence and biotype composition of oropharyngeal carriage of NTHi in mothers affected by obstetric NTHi would be of interest. Oropharyngeal colonisation could provide the source for genital infection, and it is possible that smoking may influence oropharyngeal colonisation, although reports of an association between Hi carriage and smoking are conflicting . An alternative hypothesis for infection source would be sexual acquisition of NTHi infection.…”