1. Intestinal helminth co-infection is an unrecognised risk factor for increased pneumococcal carriage density and invasive disease.
- Author
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Law AE, Shears RK, Lopez Rodas AA, Grencis RK, Cooper PJ, Neill DR, and Kadioglu A
- Subjects
- Animals, Child, Child, Preschool, Coinfection epidemiology, Ecuador epidemiology, Female, Helminthiasis epidemiology, Humans, Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic epidemiology, Male, Mice, Pneumococcal Infections epidemiology, Risk Factors, Coinfection microbiology, Helminthiasis microbiology, Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic microbiology, Pneumococcal Infections microbiology, Streptococcus pneumoniae isolation & purification
- Abstract
Infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of death in children and burden of disease is greatest where helminth infections are also common. We investigated the impact of intestinal helminth co-infection on pneumococcal carriage; a risk factor for invasive disease. We used a mouse co-infection model and clinical data to assess the impact of co-infection on carriage density. Co-infection in mice was associated with increased pneumococcal carriage density and dissemination into lungs. Helminth-infected children also exhibited increased carriage density as compared to uninfected children. Anthelmintic treatment may be a cost-effective method of reducing pneumococcal disease burden in lower-income countries.
- Published
- 2021
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