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Teshome Belachew,1 Muluneh Assefa,1 Zelalem Tefera,2 Andualem Fenta,3 Sirak Biset1 1Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Kemissie General Hospital, Kemise, Ethiopia; 3Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Sirak Biset, Tel +251-911-598-568, Email serbis33@gmail.comBackground: Although commensal Neisseria species inhabiting mucosal surfaces in the upper respiratory tract (URT) are rarely associated with infections, their presence in the area has been linked to the development of immunity against N. meningitidis and the source of antibiotic resistance determinants in pathogenic species. M. catarrhalis in the oropharynx of children is also a predisposing factor for otitis media. As a result, determining the oropharyngeal carriage rate of these commensal species and associated factors among healthy schoolchildren is substantial.Materials and Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia, from January to April 2019. A multi-stage and simple random sampling technique were used to select schools and participants, respectively. A total of 524 oropharyngeal swabs were collected using cotton swabs. Modified Thayer-Martin media was used for primary bacterial isolation, and battery of biochemical tests was performed to identify species. For frequencies, descriptive statistics were computed and the logistic regression model was used to see the relationship between dependent and independent variables.Results: A total of 524 healthy schoolchildren with a mean age of 12.2 ± 2.74 years participated in this study. The overall oropharyngeal carriage rate was 21.8% (114/524). Of these, N. meningitidis, N. lactamica, N. sicca, and M. catarrhalis were identified in 53 (46.5%), 14 (12.3%), 11 (9.6%), and 36 (31.6%) children, respectively. The culture positivity rate was higher at a younger age, which was 8.1%, 11.3%, and 14.9% in ages between 15– 18, 11– 14, and 7– 10, respectively. The oropharyngeal carriage was significantly associated with the number of students per class (> 40).Conclusion: There is a higher proportion of carriers of commensal N. lactamica and M. catarrhalis in Gondar town schoolchildren. The oropharyngeal carriage rate was associated with a crowded classroom. The characterization of non-pathogenic Neisseria species and M. catarrhalis in the study area can support the diagnosis of patients suspected of having N. meningitis infections.Keywords: N. lactamica, N. sicca, Moraxella catarrhalis, schoolchildren, Gondar