Search

This study evaluated the incidence, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Saudi Arabian children. This multicenter, prospective, clinical surveillance study included children under 5years of age, residents of one of the seven study health areas, who were brought to a study hospital with suspicion of IPD. Bacterial isolates from sterile site samples, collected less than 24h after hospital visit/admission, were identified, serotyped, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Between June 2007 and January 2009, 631 episodes of suspected IPD were recorded, and 623 were included in the analysis. One child (0.2%) had previously received one dose of a pneumococcal vaccine. Forty-seven episodes were positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae and three for Haemophilus influenzae. The incidence of confirmed IPD cases was estimated to be 2.5-21.6 per 100,000 children (<5years). Among the 46 S. pneumoniae isolates serotyped and tested for antibiotic susceptibility, the most common serotypes were 5 and 23F (20% each), 6B (17%), and 1 and 14 (11% each). Sixty-three percent of isolates were multidrug-resistant. Vaccination of Saudi Arabian children with expanded-coverage conjugate pneumococcal vaccines containing serotypes 1 and 5 could have a substantial impact to prevent IPD in this population., (Copyright © 2015 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Information regarding acute otitis media (AOM) aetiology is important for developing effective vaccines. Here, bacterial aetiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of AOM were determined in young Saudi children., Methods: Children aged 3-60months with a new episode of AOM, who had not received antibiotics or had received antibiotics for 48-72h but remained symptomatic, were enrolled in this prospective, observational, epidemiological study in Riyadh. Middle ear fluid (MEF) samples were collected by tympanocentesis or from spontaneous otorrhea, and tested for the presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Moraxella catarrhalis. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the identified pathogens was assessed using E-tests., Results: Between June 2009 and May 2011, 66 children were enrolled. S. pneumoniae was detected in 6 episodes and non-typeable H. influenzae (NTHi) in 8 episodes. Moreover, Staphylococcus aureus, which is an uncommon cause of AOM, was detected in 17 episodes. Pneumococcal serotypes were 7F (n=2), 23F (n=2), 19F (n=1) and 15F (n=1). Susceptibility to cefotaxime was observed in all pneumococcal and H. influenzae isolates, to cefuroxime in 4/6 pneumococcal and 8/8 H. influenzae isolates, and to penicillin in 5/6 pneumococcal isolates., Conclusions: S. pneumoniae and NTHi were major bacterial contributors for AOM in Saudi children., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)