Prevalence of carriage of antimicrobial resistant strains of Streptococcuspneumoniae in primary school children in Hong Kong

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine prevalence and assess r isk factors for carriage of antibiotic resistant strains of Streptococcus p neumoniae in healthy school children in Hong Kong. Throat swabs were collec ted from 1455 subjects and written questionnaires providing demographic dat a and medical history were completed by parents. The overall carriage rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 3.5 %, of which 49 % were penicillin resist ant. High levels of resistance to tetracycline (73 %), erythromycin (52 %), trimethoprim. (66 %) and ciprofloxacin (57 %) were observed. Carriage was associated with presence of a younger sibling (OR = 1.79) and use of antibi otics (OR = 2.31). High use of day care and small size of housing units did not result in a high rate of carriage. The low rate of carriage may be lin ked to high use of antibiotics, geographical factors or ethnicity. High rat es of antibiotic resistance reflect heavy use of antibiotics by general pra ctitioners.