Authors:
Sun W; Jacoby P; Riley TV; Bowman J; Leach AJ; Coates H; Weeks S; Cripps A; Lehmann D
Authors notes:
BMC Infectious Diseases. 2012;12(366):1-9
Keywords:
Aboriginal, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Otitis media, Streptococcus pneumoniae
Abstract:
Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc), nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) are the most important bacterial pathogens associated with otitis media (OM).
Previous studies have suggested that early upper respiratory tract (URT) bacterial carriage may increase risk of subsequent OM.
We investigated associations between early onset of URT bacterial carriage and subsequent diagnosis of OM in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children living in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder region located in a semi-arid zone of Western Australia.
Carriage rates of Pnc, NTHi and Mcat at age 1- < 3 months were 45%, 29% and 48%, respectively, in 66 Aboriginal children and 14%, 5% and 18% in 146 non-Aboriginal children.
OM was diagnosed at least once in 71% of Aboriginal children and 43% of non-Aboriginal children.
After controlling for age, sex, presence of other bacteria and environmental factors, early nasopharyngeal carriage of NTHi increased the risk of subsequent OM in Aboriginal children, while Mcat increased the risk of OM in non-Aboriginal children.
Early carriage of Pnc was not associated with increased risk of OM.
In addition to addressing environmental risk factors for carriage such as overcrowding and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, early administration of pneumococcal-Haemophilus influenzae D protein conjugate vaccine to reduce bacterial carriage in infants, may be beneficial for Aboriginal children; such an approach is currently being evaluated in Australia.