Volume 8, Number 5—May 2002
Research
Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Healthy Children: Implications for the Use of Heptavalent Pnemococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Paola Marchisio*, Susanna Esposito*, Gian Carlo Schito†, Anna Marchese†, Roberta Cavagna*, Nicola Principi*
, and the Hercules Project Collaborative Group
, and the Hercules Project Collaborative GroupTable 4
Univariate analysis of the variables potentially associated with the nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae
| Total carriers | Carriers of invasive strains | Carriers of strains covered by the heptavalent vaccine | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risk factor | ORsa | 95% CIb | ORs | 95% CI | ORs | 95% CI |
| Sex | 1.0 | 0.8-1.4 | 0.9 | 0.7-1.4 | 0.9 | 0.7-1.3 |
| Age, yrs | ||||||
| 2-5 >5 | 0.7 1.5 | 0.1-1.7 0.9-2.5 | 1.3 0.9 | 0.8-2.3 0.5-1.6 | 1.5 1.1 | 0.9-2.7 0.6-1.9 |
| Breast-feeding ≥3 mo. | 0.9 | 0.6-1.4 | 1.0 | 0.6-1.7 | 1.1 | 0.7-1.7 |
| Urban residence | 0.8 | 0.1-2.2 | 1.2 | 0.6-2.6 | 1.5 | 0.7-2.9 |
| Full-time day-care attendance | 0.4 | 0.1-1.5 | 0.8 | 0.6-1.2 | 1.0 | 0.7-1.4 |
| Child-care center ≥20 subjects | 0.9 | 0.6-1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8-1.9 | 1.2 | 0.8-1.9 |
| At least one sibling | 0.9 | 0.7-1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4-1.2 | 0.7 | 0.4-1.3 |
| First-born | 1.0 | 0.8-1.4 | 1.1 | 0.8-1.6 | 1.1 | 0.8-1.6 |
| Passive smoking | 1.0 | 0.7-1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7-1.4 | 1.0 | 0.7-1.4 |
| At least one URTIscin the previous 3 mo. | ||||||
| Rhinitis | 0.9 | 0.7-1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7-1.5 | 1.0 | 0.7-1.5 |
| Tonsillitis | 0.8 | 0.6-1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6-1.5 | 1.0 | 0.6-1.5 |
| Laryngitis | 0.6 | 0.3-1.1 | 0.8 | 0.5-1.5 | 0.8 | 0.4-1.5 |
| Acute otitis media | 1.3 | 0.9-1.9 | 1.5 | 0.9-2.3 | 1.4 | 0.9-2.2 |
| Acute sinusitis | 2.3 | 1.1-4.6d | 3.1 | 1.4-6.d | 3.3 | 1.6-6.9 d |
| LRTIse in the previous 3 mo. | ||||||
| Acute bronchitis | 0.7 | 0.4-1.1 | 0.6 | 0.3-1.1 | 0.6 | 0.4-1.1 |
| Pneumonia | 0.8 | 0.2-2.6 | 0.4 | 0.1-3.1 | 0.9 | 0.2-3.7 |
| Antibiotic therapy in the previous 3 mo. | ||||||
| Aminopenicillins | 0.9 | 0.6-1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5-1.8 | 1.0 | 0.5-1.8 |
| Amoxicillin-clavulanate | 0.8 | 0.4-1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3-1.5 | 0.8 | 0.4-1.5 |
| Macrolides | 0.6 | 0.3-1.1 | 0.8 | 0.4-1.6 | 0.7 | 0.4-1.5 |
| Cephalosporins | 0.9 | 0.6-1.3 | 0.8 | 0.5-1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6-1.5 |
| At least one antibiotic |
0.8 |
0.7-1.2 |
1.0 |
0.7-1.4 |
1.0 |
0.7-1.4 |
| aOR = odds ratio. b CI=95% confidence interval. c URTIs= upper respiratory tract infections. d p<0.05. e LRTIs=lower respiratory tract infections. | ||||||
1The Hercules Project Collaborative Group includes: F. Schettini, D. De Mattia (Bari, Italy); G. P. Salvioli, G. Faldella (Bologna, Italy); G. Caramia, E. Ruffini (Ancona, Italy); E. Reali (Cinisello Balsamo, Italy); R. Longhi (Como, Italy); G. Bona (Novara, Italy); A. Guarino, F. Albano (Napoli, Italy); R. Malvicini (Fidenza, Italy); L. Ziino (Palermo, Italy); I. Barberi, T. Corona (Messina, Italy); P. Pusceddu (Cagliari, Italy); T. Meloni (Sassari, Italy); G. Saggese, and M. Migliaccio (Pisa, Italy).
