Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and other nasal bacteria among children in remote areas of the fringe highlands of Papua New Guinea.

The nasal bacteriology of children in two areas of the western Schrader Range was studied. One area, served by an aid post since 1976, was compared with the other, which received its first medical care in 1984. Significant differences in the amount of resistance to penicillin were found, but not in the direction expected. These anomalous findings are interpreted in light of the particular histories of the groups involved, suggesting the transmission of resistant strains through contact among children.