Biomedical Research

Objective: Nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage creates a significant risk factor for the spread of resistant strains in society and the occurrence of invasive disease. In this study it was intended to investigate the rates of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage of individuals living in nursing homes in our area and to determine the rates of the resistance to penicillin in these strains and risk factors.

Methods: 92 people over the age of 60 who live in nursing homes were taken in our study. It was investigated demographic characteristics and potential risk factors for carriage in these people. The isolation and characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae made with traditional culture methods. It was examined resistance to penicillin in these strains using oxacillin disk and the values of penicillin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) in oxacillin -resistant strains determined by E-test method.

Results: In 16.3% of the participants were found pneumococcal carriage. In two strains (13.3%) isolated from pneumococcal mid-level resistance to penicillin (ODPD) were detected, there were not any highlevel resistance (YDPD) strain found. Also it was found a statistically significant correlation between the presence of chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, etc.) with the pneumococcal carriage (p=0.038). Evaluated in terms of risk factors that affect resistance to penicillin it was found a statistically significant relationship between the use of antibiotic in people with pneumococcal carriage with stay in hospital in the last 6 months (p<0.05).

Conclusion: As a result it is intended to contribute to the creation of regional guidelines which will be used in the treatment of pneumococcal infections by the development of regional data on pneumococcal carriage and resistance to penicillin in our province.

Author(s): Yeliz Çetinkol, Özgür Enginyurt, Arzu Altunçekiç Yildirim, Soner Çankaya, Umut Gök Balci, Kurtulus Öngel
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