Post-Vaccination Streptococcus pneumoniae Carriage and Virulence Gene Distribution among Children Less Than Five Years of Age, Cape Coast, Ghana.

ABSTRACT: In 2012, Ghana introduced PCV13 into its childhood immunization program. To monitor the pneumococcus after PCV13 vaccination, we analyzed serotypes, antibiotic resistance, and virulence genes of pneumococcal carriage isolates among children under five years of age. We obtained nasopharyngeal swabs from 513 children from kindergartens and immunization centers in Cape Coast, Ghana. Pneumococcal serotypes were determined by multiplex-PCR and Quellung reaction. Antibiotic resistance and virulence genes prevalence were determined by disc diffusion and PCR respectively. Overall, carriage prevalence was 29.4% and PCV13 coverage was 38.4%. Over 60% of the isolates were non-PCV13 serotypes and serotype 23B was the most prevalent. One isolate showed full resistance to penicillin, while 35% showed in

SUBMITTER: Mills RO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7764876 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature