BACTERIOLOGICAL STUDY OF PURULENT NASOPHA RYNGITIS IN SENEGALESE CHILDREN

Background. -S pneumoniae, H influenzae and M catarrhalis are the main bacteria isolated from rhinopharynx in Europe. The purpose of this wo rk was to study the frequency of potential pathogenic bacteria isolate d from acute purulent rhinopharyngitis among children in Senegal, Popu lation and methods, -Ninety-three children from one month to 7-years o ld suffering from purulent rhinopharyngitis were recruited from April to July 1996. The withdrawal samples were taken from the cavum with a swab which was immediately immersed in an agar shipping medium. Bacter ia's grouping and serotyping were made by immunongglutination. A stand ard antibiogram was made Sor all isolates and furthermore the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined for S pneumoniae. Resul ts, -Two hundred bacterial strains were isolated: S pneumoniae 28% (60 % of the children), C group streptococci: 19% (41% of the children), H influenzae: 15.5% (33% of the children), S pyogenes. 9.5% (20% of the children), S. aureus: 8% (17% of the children) and M catarrhalis: 6% (13% of the children. The other isolates were: B and D groups streptoc occi, P aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp. S pneumoniae strains belonged t o serogroups 6,19 and 23. Only three strains of H influenzae were caps ulated (serotype b). infants aged from 6 to 18 months were the most af fected. No resistance to penicillin was observed for S pneumoniae and S pyogenes. Ampicillin (81%) and chloramphenicol (96%) both inhibited the majority of H influenzae strains. Conclusions. -This descriptive b acterial epidemiology study of children's rhinopharynx's flora in Sene gal allowed us to identify three major pathogenic germs: S pneumoniae, H influenzae and S pyogenes contributing to a better knowledge of the se microorganisms' serotypes, biotypes and antibiotypes.