Identification of age-group reservoirs for persistent vaccine-type pneumococcal carriage in rural Gambia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been used widely in many low and middle-income countries, residual vaccine-type (VT) carriage persists in these settings. We examined the role of specific age groups in transmission and as reservoirs of VT pneumococcal infection in The Gambia.

Methods

Between January and November 2022, we conducted a nested, population-based, cross-sectional social contact and pneumococcal carriage survey in the Central and Upper River Regions of The Gambia. Participants completed questionnaires on carriage risk factors and social contacts. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from selected household members across all age groups. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated and serotyped using standard methods. We analysed matched cont

SUBMITTER: Osei I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12497339 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature