CASE REPORT OF A CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH FIVE SEROTYPES / SEROGROUPS OF S. PNEUMONIAE

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of widespread diseases. Pneumococci colonize asymptomatically the nasopharynx in children and could be responsible for severe, life-threatening illnesses such as pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. The case report shows co-colonisation in two-year-old child vaccinated with the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-10) suffering from recurring catarrh and found to carry 5 serotypes S. pneumoniae. The strains have been detected and typed using molecular methods: real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and allelic hybridization. Monitoring S. pneumoniae colonization of human mucosa is crucial to reduce the likelihood of severe invasive pneumococcal diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia or otitis.