Prevalence and determinants of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections among children under five years at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital in Wakiso District. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/wb831g64Keywords:
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pneumococcal infection, Children under five, Socio-demographic determinants, Environmental factorsAbstract
BackgroundStreptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of pneumonia morbidity and mortality among children under five years. Socio-demographic and environmental factors influence nasopharyngeal carriage and transmission risk. The study aims to assess the prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae and examine its association with socio-demographic determinants among children under five years at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital.
Methods
A retrospective total enumeration approach was used. All medical records of children under five years diagnosed with Streptococcus pneumoniae infections at the pediatric ward at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital were retrieved and reviewed. Records from 151 patients were included if they contained complete demographic data, clinical diagnosis, and laboratory confirmation by culture. Collected data were entered in Microsoft Excel, cleaned, and exported to SPSS Version 20.0 for analysis. Analysed data were presented in the form of percentages and frequencies in tables, pie charts, graphs, and narratives.
Results
The overall prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 23.8% (36). Males represented 67.5%; females 32.5%. Crowded households recorded the highest prevalence, 15.2%. Low-income households (15.2%), indoor biomass fuel use (14%), household smoking 15.2 %, wet season 14.6 %, the highest prevalence; parents who had primary education at 10.5 % Overcrowding, house hold smoking and low income showed highest prevalence15.2%, by wet season 14.6%, indoor biomass fuel use 14%, and least among high income earners.
Conclusion
The findings indicate that Streptococcus pneumoniae infection among children under five remains a significant public health concern, with household socio-economic and environmental conditions potentially contributing to transmission. Addressing these modifiable conditions may help reduce the burden of infection among young children.
RecommendationHealth facility outreach programs should target crowded households for intensive health education by health facility outreach programs.
References
1. Adamu AL, Osuorah D, Ezeudu C, Nnadi C, Umeh C, Ebenebe et al. Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae among children under 5 years of age attending a tertiary hospital in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2023;45;78.
2. Anis S, Pradipta MA, Lestari K, Parwati I, Nuryastuti T, van der Werf TS, et al.Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in healthy children under 5 years old in Southeast Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2001-2019).PLOS ONE. 2021;16(3): e0248581.
3. GBD 2023 Pneumonia Collaboration. Global, regional and National burden of lower respiratory infections from 1990 to 2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023.Lancet Inf Dis.2025: In press
4. Mengstie, L. A. (2022). Prevalence of pneumonia and associated factors among children aged 6-59 months in Angolela Tera District, North Shoa, Ethiopia, 2021: A community-based cross-sectional study. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-022-00921-x
5. Nambuya, H., Mupere, E., Nabukeera-Barungi, N., Mubiri, P., General, J. K., Rytter, M. J. H., & Nantanda, R. (2025). Prevalence, incidence, and associated factors of pneumonia among severely malnourished children hospitalized in Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda. PloS one, 20(9)., file = journal.pone.0331698.pdf https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331698
6. Nnajiofor CU, Esimone CO, Attama AA, Nwobodo HA.Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from children under 5 years with respiratory tract infection in Southeast Nigeria. Afri Health Sci.2024; 24(1): 112-121.
7. Ogwang, A. (2017). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Pneumonia among Children Below Five Years Attending Pediatric Ward at Bushenyi Health Center IV, Bushenyi District. In.
8. Onalo, R., Adeleke, S. I., Nwalorzie, C., & Njoku, R. (2011). Rate of isolation of streptococcus species from children with bacterial infections: an indication for introduction of streptococcal vaccines. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics, file = rate-of-isolation-of-streptococcus-species-from-children-2zgw8ziorv.pdf. https://doi.org/10.4314/njp.v38i3.72271
9. Rashidah, A., & Cliffe, A. (2023). Factors Contributing to Increased Cases of Pneumonia among Children under 5 Years of Age at Kasangati Health Center, Iv Wakiso District. A Cross -Sectional Study. file = factors-contributing-to-increased-cases-of-pneumonia-among-137q159jns135.pdf. _africa. v4i12.553 https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i12.553
10. Salma, B. Y. (2013). Prevalence of pneumonia in children aged five years and below in Ishaka Adventist Hospital, Uganda.
11. Savic, T. A. (2015). A Ten-Year Retrospective Study of Pediatric Pneumonia Cases in Haiti. In (pp., file = a-ten-year-retrospective-study-of-pediatric-pneumonia-cases-d2yblwoam7.pdf).
12. Surafel, M., Daniel, T. o., Tigist, A., Tahir Yousuf, N., Addisu, T. e., & Abdurahman Kedir, R. (2023a). Prevalence, Antimicrobial Drug Resistance and Associated Risk Factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection Among Under-Five Children with Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infection Attending Sheik Hassan Yebere Referral Hospital, Jigjiga, Ethiopia. Infection and Drug Resistance, file = prevalence-antimicrobial-drug-resistance-and-associated-risk-29wix7qq (1).pdf.
13. Wanyana, M. W., Migisha, R., King, P., Bulage, L., Kwesiga, B., Kadobera, D., Riolexus Ario, A., & Harris, J. R. (2024). Trends and spatial distribution of pneumonia admissions and deaths among children <5 years, Uganda, 2013--2021. medRxiv preprint. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.13.24302770
