Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate nasopharyngeal colonization of respiratory tract pathogens and nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthy schoolchildren (6-14 years old). Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted at Konuralp Primary School by Düzce University and 484 healthy children were included. Isolates obtained from nasal and nasopharyngeal cultures were identified by conventional microbiological procedures and Api 20 strep, NH. Results: 56.6% of healthy schoolchildren had at least one nasopharyngeal potential bacterial pathogen. Isolated bacteria species were as follows: 6% group A streptococcus (GAS), 5.0% S. pneumoniae, 33.1% M. catarrhalis, and 34.9% H. influenzae. All of the isolated GAS species were susceptible to penicillin. 8.3% of S. pneumoniae isolates were intermediately resistant to penicillin. Beta-lactamase test was found positive for M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae in 90.3 and 8.3%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between nasopharyngeal colonization of M. catarrhalis and antibiotic usage in the past six months (P=0.018) and nasopharyngeal colonization of H. influenzae and antibiotic usage in the household (P=0.001). The rate of nasal MRSA carriage in healthy children was 5%. This rate was found higher in the 6-10 age group compared to the 11-14 age group (P=0.012). Conclusions: Our data showed that nasopharyngeal carriage of potential respiratory pathogens in schoolchildren should not be underestimated. More comprehensive surveillance studies should be performed to obtain correct information about the carriage.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate nasopharyngeal colonization of respiratory tract pathogens and nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in healthy schoolchildren (6-14 years old). Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted at Konuralp Primary School by Düzce University and 484 healthy children were included. Isolates obtained from nasal and nasopharyngeal cultures were identified by conventional microbiological procedures and Api 20 strep, NH. Results: 56.6% of healthy schoolchildren had at least one nasopharyngeal potential bacterial pathogen. Isolated bacteria species were as follows: 6% group A streptococcus (GAS), 5.0% S. pneumoniae, 33.1% M. catarrhalis, and 34.9% H. influenzae. All of the isolated GAS species were susceptible to penicillin. 8.3% of S. pneumoniae isolates were intermediately resistant to penicillin. Beta-lactamase test was found positive for M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae in 90.3 and 8.3%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between nasopharyngeal colonization of M. catarrhalis and antibiotic usage in the past six months (P=0.018) and nasopharyngeal colonization of H. influenzae and antibiotic usage in the household (P=0.001). The rate of nasal MRSA carriage in healthy children was 5%. This rate was found higher in the 6-10 age group compared to the 11-14 age group (P=0.012). Conclusions: Our data showed that nasopharyngeal carriage of potential respiratory pathogens in schoolchildren should not be underestimated. More comprehensive surveillance studies should be performed to obtain correct information about the carriage.