[Bacteriological study of purulent nasopharyngitis in children in Senegal].

BACKGROUND

S pneumoniae, H influenzae and M catarrhalis are the main bacteria isolated from rhinopharynx in Europe. The purpose of this work was to study the frequency of potential pathogenic bacteria isolated from acute purulent rhinopharyngitis among children in Senegal.

POPULATION AND

METHODS

Ninety-three children from one month to 7-years old suffering from purulent rhinopharyngitis were recruited from April 1 to July 1996. The withdrawal samples were taken from the cavum with a swab which was immediately immersed in an agar shipping medium. Bacteria's grouping and serotyping were made by immunoagglutination. A standard antibiogram was made for all isolates and furthermore the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined for S pneumoniae.

RESULTS

Two hundred bacterial strains were isolated: S pneumoniae 28% (60% of the children), C group streptococci: 19% (41% of the children), H influenzae: 15.5% (33% of the children), S pyogenes: 9.5% (20% of the children), S aureus: 8% (17% of the children) and M catarrhalis: 6% (13% of the children). The other isolates were: B and D groups streptococci, P aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp. S pnuemoniae strains belonged to serogroups 6, 19 and 23. Only three strains of H influenzae were capsulated (serotype b). Infants aged from 6 to 18 months were the most affected. No resistance to penicillin was observed for S pneumoniae and S pyogenes. Ampicillin (81%) and chloramphenicol (96%) both inhibited the majority of H influenzae strains.

CONCLUSIONS

This descriptive bacterial epidemiology study of children's rhinopharynx's flora in Senegal allowed us to identify three major pathogenic germs: S pneumoniae, H influenzae and S pyogenes contributing to a better knowledge of these microorganisms' serotypes, biotypes and antibiotypes.