Influenza-like illness is associated with high pneumococcal carriage density in Malawian children
Year: 2020
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: High pneumococcal carriage density is a risk factor for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and transmission, but factors that increase pneumococcal carriage density are still unclear. METHODS: We undertook a cross-sectional study to evaluate the microbial composition, cytokine levels and pneumococcal carriage densities in samples from children presenting with an influenza-like illness (ILI) and asymptomatic healthy controls (HC). RESULTS: The proportion of children harbouring viral organisms (Relative risk (RR) 1.4, p = 0.0222) or ≥ 4 microbes at a time (RR 1.9, p < 0.0001), was higher in ILI patients than HC. ILI patients had higher IL-8 levels in nasal aspirates than HC (median [IQR], 265.7 [0 - 452.3] vs. 0 [0 - 127.3] pg/ml; p = 0.0154). Having an ILI was associated with higher pneumococcal carriage densities compared to HC (RR 4.2, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that children with an ILI have an increased propensity for high pneumococcal carriage density. This could in part contribute to increased susceptibility to IPD and transmission in the community.
Source: Journal of Infection
Institutions: University of Malawi, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, University of Liverpool, National Institute for Health and Care Research, University College London, Utrecht University, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,150
Awards: Malawi-Liverpool-Welcome Trust Clinical Research Programme., G342873251, INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN LSTM AND CDC AND PREVENTION ON MALARIA(U01), Identification of niche-specific virulence factors via experimental evolution of Streptococcus pneumoniae, G3858672489, G4300644782, Investigating the mechanisms for persistence of HIV in human alveolar macrophages., Institutional Collaboration between LSTM and CDC and Prevention on Malaria(U01)
OpenAlex ID: W3045011468