The Prevalence and Influencing Factors of the Oropharyngeal Carriage of Haemophilus Influenzae in Healthy Children in a High-altitude Area of China: A Cross-sectional Study

Overview

Journal Medicine (Baltimore)

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2022 Sep 10

PMID 36086673

Authors

Zhen Li

Chang Fu

Puren Li

WenSheng Ba

Shaohui Ma

Xiaolei Tang

Xueqin Yang

Zengping Hao

Kezhong A

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Haemophilus influenzae is a common commensal organism of the human upper respiratory tract and an important cause of human disease. No data on H influenzae carriage rate has been carried out on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China. This study aims to present the H influenzae carriage rate and influencing factors of H influenzae in healthy children <15 years of age in Qinghai Province, an area located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. Oropharyngeal swabs for the detection of H influenzae DNA were collected between September and October 2019. Taqman real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the nucleic acids from the oropharyngeal swabs. Self-designed questionnaires were used to investigate the related information among this group of children. A number of 284 children were enrolled in this study. The carriage rate of H influenzae was 44.7%. The carriage rate in cities was 47.5%, in rural areas was 21.9%, and in pastoral areas was 52.8%. The carriage rate was found to be higher among children of minority ethnic groups than those of Han ethnicity (55.6% vs 38.1%). H influenzae carriage rate was influenced by tobacco smoke exposure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.31, 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.14-4.70), having siblings <5 years of age (aOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.21-4.59), respiratory infections during the last 30 days (aOR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.11-5.06), and parent/guardian education level (aOR = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.02-0.27). H influenzae was highly prevalent in healthy children in Qinghai Province, especially among children of minority ethnicities and those living in pastoral areas. Tobacco smoke exposure, having siblings <5 years of age, and respiratory infections during the last 30 days were risk factors for H influenzae carriage. Parents or guardians having education levels of college or higher was a protective factor for H influenzae carriage. It is of critical importance that the government take effective measures to reduce the carriage rate and the occurrence of H influenzae related diseases in susceptible populations.

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