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. 2017 May 26;56(3):172-178.
doi: 10.1515/sjph-2017-0023. eCollection 2017 Sep.

Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Serotypes Indentified among Nursing Home Residents in Comparison to the Elderly and Patients Younger than 65 Years Living in Domestic Environment

Maja Kolšek-Šušteršič  1 , Andreja Beg Krasnič  1 , Verica Mioč  2 , Metka Paragi  2 , Janez Rifel  3
Affiliations

Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Serotypes Indentified among Nursing Home Residents in Comparison to the Elderly and Patients Younger than 65 Years Living in Domestic Environment

Maja Kolšek-Šušteršič et al. Zdr Varst. .

Abstract
in English, Slovenian

Introduction: In Slovenia, there is little data available on pneumococcal vaccination rates and no data on asymptomatic NPCR and serotypes in the population of nursing home residents in comparison to the elderly living in domestic environment, therefore the goal was to gain these data.

Methods: A cross sectional epidemiological study was performed. Nasopharyngeal swabs from 151 nursing home residents, 150 elderly living in domestic environment, and 38 adults less than 65 years old were collected twice (in two consecutive years). The swabs were analysed for pneumococcal identification and serotyping. Patient data were collected from medical files and medical history.

Results: No statistically significant differences in NPCR were seen between compared groups in two consecutive years. An average NPCR in two consecutive years in nursing home residents was 1.45%, in the elderly living in domestic environment 0.85%, and in adults less than 65 years old 7.05%. Serotypes identified among nursing home residents were 6B and 9N, among the group of elderly living in domestic environment, 6A and among adults less than 65 years old, 35F, 18C and 3. Pneumococcal vaccination rates were low (3.3% in nursing home residents, 6% in the elderly from domestic environment and 0% in the group of adults less than 65 years old).

Conclusions: Our data suggests that NPCR and the proportion of people vaccinated with pneumococcal vaccine among the elderly are low. We identified different serotypes in all groups, only one person was a chronic carrier (serotype 35F).

Izhodišča: V Sloveniji je malo podatkov o stopnji precepljenosti s pnevmokoknimi cepivi in ni dostopnih podatkov o nosilstvu pnevmokoka v nosnem žrelu ter o serotipih med oskrbovanci doma starejših občanov (DSO) v primerjavi s starostniki, ki živijo v domačem okolju, zato je bil namen raziskave pridobiti te podatke.

Metode: Izvedli smo presečno epidemiološko raziskavo. Dvakrat (v dveh zaporednih letih) smo odvzeli brise 151 oskrbovancem DSO, 150 starostnikom, ki živijo v domačem okolju, in 38 odraslim, mlajših od 65 let. Z analizo brisov smo identificirali pnevmokoke in jih serotipizirali. Podatke o bolnikih smo pridobili iz medicinske dokumentacije ter iz anamneze.

Rezultati: V nobeni od primerjanih skupin nismo ugotovili razlike v deležu nosilstva pnevmokoka v dveh zaporednih letih. Povprečni delež nosilstva v dveh zaporednih letih skupaj je bil med oskrbovanci DSO 1,45%, med starostniki, ki živijo v domačem okolju, 0,85% ter med odraslimi, mlajšimi od 65 let, 7,05%. Med oskrbovanci DSO smo identificirali serotipa 6B in 9N, med starostniki, ki živijo v domačem okolju, serotip 6A ter med odraslimi, mlajšimi od 65 let, stereotipe 35F, 18C in 3. Delež cepljenih s pnevmokoknim cepivom je bil nizek (3,3% med oskrbovanci DSO, 6% med starostniki, ki živijo v domačem okolju, in 0% med odraslimi, mlajšimi od 65 let).

Zaključki: Glede na naše izsledke sklepamo, da sta delež nosilcev pnevmokoka v nosnem žrelu ter delež oseb, cepljenih s pnevmokoknimi cepivi, med starostniki nizka. Identificirani serotipi v vseh skupinah so bili različni, odkrili smo le enega kroničnega nosilca (serotip 35F).

Keywords: S. pneumoniae; nasopharyngeal carriage; retirement home residents; serotype identification; vaccination.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist.

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