Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 14, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 140-145

Epidemiology of respiratory infections caused by atypical bacteria in Two Kenyan refugee camps (Article)

Kim C. , Nyoka R. , Ahmed J.A. , Winchell J.M. , Mitchell S.L. , Kariuki Njenga M. , Auko E. , Burton W. , Breiman R.F. , Eidex R.B.*
  • a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
  • b CDC-Kenya, KEMRI Complex, Mbagathi Rd off Mbagathi Way Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya
  • c CDC-Kenya, KEMRI Complex, Mbagathi Rd off Mbagathi Way Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya
  • d U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
  • e U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
  • f CDC-Kenya, KEMRI Complex, Mbagathi Rd off Mbagathi Way Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya
  • g Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
  • h United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Nairobi, Kenya
  • i CDC-Kenya, KEMRI Complex, Mbagathi Rd off Mbagathi Way Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya
  • j CDC-Kenya, KEMRI Complex, Mbagathi Rd off Mbagathi Way Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Legionella spp. are common causes of atypical pneumonia; however, data about these atypical pathogens are limited in the refugee setting. Paired nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens were collected from patients with respiratory illness presenting to healthcare centers in two refugee camps in Kenya. The specimens were tested for C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, and Legionella spp. as well as eight respiratory viruses. Atypical pathogens were detected in 5.5% of the specimens of which 54% were co-infected with at least one of the eight viruses tested. Patients positive for atypical bacteria co-infected with virus were significantly more likely to have severe acute respiratory illness than patients infected with only atypical bacteria (P = 0.04). While the percentage of atypical pathogens identified was lower than expected, we found a significant relationship between atypical bacterial-viral coinfection and severity of disease in this refugee population. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.

Author Keywords

Refugee health Atypical bacteria Atypical pneumonia PCR

Index Keywords

refugee respiratory tract infection Respiratory Tract Infections Atypical Bacterial Forms bacterial phenomena and functions human Refugees middle aged Aged Kenya Young Adult Humans Adolescent virology male preschool child Aged, 80 and over Infant Child, Preschool female isolation and purification Article adult microbiology pathophysiology Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84860558729&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-011-9494-1&partnerID=40&md5=ab6ff056f117110d4afa37396d5f667c
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-011-9494-1
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English