Streptococcus pneumoniae nasopharyngeal colonization in children aged under six years with acute respiratory tract infection in Lithuania, February 2012 to March 2013

Abstract

Data on distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPn) serotypes among children in Lithuania are limited. A prospective study was carried out from February 2012 to March 2013 to evaluate the circulation of SPn serotypes among young children in five cities of Lithuania before the introduction of universal vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). A total of 900 children under six years of age who presented to primary care centres or a hospital emergency department with acute respiratory tract infection (RTI) were enrolled in the study. The SPn colonisation rate was 40.8% (367/900), with a peak at two and three yearsold (48.8% and 45.4%, respectively). Of the 367 SPn isolates, the most common serotypes were 6B (15.8%, n = 58), 19F (13.9%, n = 51), 23F (13.9%, n = 51), 15 (10.1%, n = 37), 14 (9.5%, n = 35), 6A (9.3%, n= 34), 11 (4.6%, n = 17), 3 (3.0%, n = 11) and 18C (3.0%, n = 11); less frequent were 23 (non-23F) (2.7%, n = 10), 19A (2.2%, n = 8) and 9V (1.6%, n = 6). Serotypes 6A and 11 were more common in children under two years-old; 18C was found only in children aged two to five years. The serotypes found might be an important predictor of the likely effectiveness of the PCVs currently available in Lithuania