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. 1997 May;35(5):1077–1079. doi: 10.1128/jcm.35.5.1077-1079.1997

Comparison of four different sampling methods for detecting pharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in children.

S Rapola 1, E Salo 1, P Kiiski 1, M Leinonen 1, A K Takala 1
PMCID: PMC232706  PMID: 9114384

Abstract

Samples from 96 children with acute respiratory infection were obtained simultaneously with nasal, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal swabs and by nasopharyngeal aspiration and were cultured on chocolate and blood agar plates. The rates of isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae detected by the four sampling methods were compared. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were optimal for the detection of both S. pneumoniae (isolation rate, 33%) and H. influenzae (isolation rate, 31%). When a nasopharyngeal aspirate is not available, such as for healthy children or children with no obtainable secretions, the nasopharyngeal swab seems optimal for the detection of both S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae among children younger than 13 months of age. Among older children, similarly, the nasopharyngeal swab seems optimal for the detection of S. pneumoniae; however, for H. influenzae, the oropharyngeal swab seems optimal.

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Selected References

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