Comparison of Bacterial Culture Results Obtained from Nasopharyngeal and Midturbinate Swabs in Children With Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Symptoms

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2018 Nov;37(11):e275-e277. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002027.

Abstract

Paired nasopharynx and midturbinate swabs were obtained from 96 children (mean age: 2.45 years) with upper respiratory tract symptoms. Of these, 38.5% were colonized with Streptococcus pneumoniae only, 16.7% with Haemophilus influenzae only and 9.4% with both bacteria. Bacterial cultures from paired nasopharynx and midturbinate swabs demonstrated agreement for S. pneumoniae (κ = 0.75), H. influenzae (κ = 0.59) and for both pathogens (κ = 0.62). This report compares the results of bacterial cultures obtained from the nasopharynx and midturbinate specimens in children with upper respiratory tract infections.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carrier State / microbiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Coinfection / microbiology
  • Female
  • Haemophilus Infections / diagnosis
  • Haemophilus influenzae / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Immunization / statistics & numerical data
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Nasopharynx / microbiology*
  • Pneumococcal Infections / diagnosis
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / diagnosis
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / microbiology*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / isolation & purification
  • Turbinates / microbiology*
  • United States