THE PREVALENCE OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIA AND ITS PENICILLIN RESISTANCE PATTERN IN CHILDREN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD FROM SHAHREKORD, IRAN, 2007

Background and aim: Streptococcus pneumonia is the most common cause of community aquired bacterial respiratory tract infection. It is also a major cause of acute otitis media, bacteremia and meningitis. There is little information on antibiotics susceptibility pattern of Streptococcus pneumonia in Iran. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of throat carrier and penicillin resistant pattern of Streptococcus pneumonia in children with less than five years old who referred to health centers in Shahrekord. Methods: This descriptive – analytic study was carried out from May to September 2007 in Shahrekord. A total of 224 healthy children, age less than 5 years in health care center in Shahrekord city were studied. Pharyngeal samples were collected by sterile swabs and then inoculated on selected media. After 24hr incubation microbiological tests were performed and then Streptococcus pneumonia was recovered by Optochin test. Data were analyzed using Mann Whitney test. Results: 38 out of 224 children (17%), were carriers of Streptococcus pneumonia and its resistance to penicillin was 28.9%. There was significant relationship between age and sex and susceptibility pattern in the children (P<0.05). Conclusion: Penicillin is still an appropriate agent for treatment in Streptococcus pneumonia in our population