Nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization among Kenyan children: antibiotic resistance, strain types and associations with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

Abstract

Although nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization was high among children with respiratory illness born to HIV-1-seropositive mothers, increased asymptomatic colonization did not explain the increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease associated with HIV-1 infection. Intermediate penicillin resistance was common but high level penicillin and multiple antibiotic resistance were not seen. The prevalence of the unique strains circulating in this region will need to be considered in the design of effective pneumococcal vaccines for use in East Africa.