Prevalence and risk factors of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage in healthy children attending kindergarten, in district of Arsi Zone, South East, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: S. pneumoniae responsible for a range of respiratory infections from uncomplicated to severe invasive pneumococcal disease. Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from children attending kindergarten and aged ≤ 6 years from February, 2017 to June, 2017 to assess the nasopharyngeal carriage and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of S. pneumoniae. Parents of children interviewed using questionnaire and check list to identify associated factors. An antimicrobial susceptibility test performed using disk diffusion method.

RESULTS: Overall pneumococcal carriage were 18.4% (88/477). No significant variation in colonization based on sex and age of children. Children living with siblings (1-2) < 6 years in household (adjusted odd ratio = 16.06; 95% confidence interval 6.21-41.55) and > 5 person per household (adjusted odd ratio = 3.27; 95% confidence interval 1.50-7.14) were associated with higher S. pneumoniae carriage. Non- exclusive breast feeding (adjust odd ratio = 6.00; 95% confidence interval 3.33-10.80) and horse cart transportation (adjusted odd ratio = 2.75; 95% confidence interval 1.05-7.22) increases carriage. S. pneumoniae showed 21 (23.9%) resistance to erythromycin, 18 (20.4%) to amoxicillin, 13 (15.0%) to penicillin, and the least 1 (1.1%) to augmentin.