Associations between pathogens in the upper respiratory tract of young children: interplay between viruses and bacteria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

High rates of potentially pathogenic bacteria and respiratory viruses can be detected in the upper respiratory tract of healthy children. Investigating presence of and associations between these pathogens in healthy individuals is still a rather unexplored field of research, but may have implications for interpreting findings during disease.

Methodology/principal findings

We selected 986 nasopharyngeal samples from 433 6- to 24-month-old healthy children that had participated in a randomized controlled trial. We determined the presence of 20 common respiratory viruses using real-time PCR. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Staphylococcus aureus were identified by conventional culture methods. Information on risk factors was

SUBMITTER: van den Bergh MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3474735 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature