Oropharyngeal carriage of potential meningitis-causing bacteria in a Ghanaian prison

Amewu, Emmanuel Kobla Atsu; Adu-Asiamah, Cynthia Kyerewaa; Baba-Adam, Rawdat Kobla Atsu; Afful, Albert Reginald; Gyau, Kennedy Boahen; Kwarteng, Alexander

doi:10.21608/mid.2023.154583.1361

Oropharyngeal carriage of potential meningitis-causing bacteria in a Ghanaian prison

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

² Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

³ Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

⁴ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

10.21608/mid.2023.154583.1361

Abstract

Background: Bacterial meningitis continues to be a global health problem even after introducing of meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines. Surveillance of high-risk populations such as prisoners is necessary for timely identification of outbreaks and prophylaxis. This study assessed pharyngeal colonisation of prisoners and officers in a Ghanaian prison with meningitis-causing bacteria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2018. Oropharyngeal swabs were collected, and microbiological and antimicrobial susceptibility analyses were performed. Results: There were 205 participants. Carriage of meningitis-causing bacterial was 102 (49.7%), 8 (3.9%) and 1(0.48%) for Neisseria species (spp.), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), respectively and with a total carriage of 52.2% (107/ 205). Four individuals (1.9%) carried both Neisseria spp. and S. aureus. The S. aureus isolates were resistant to ampicillin (87.5%), chloramphenicol (87.5%), and penicillin (87.5%) and sensitive to cefoxitin (100%) cotrimoxazole (87.5%), clindamycin (87.5%), ciprofloxacin (75.0%), oxacillin (75.0%), and erythromycin (62.5%). None of the S. aureus isolated was methicillin resistant. The S. pneumoniae isolated was resistant to cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, and penicillin and sensitive to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and clindamycin. Education (OR = 1.910, 95% CI 1.029 – 3.545, p < /em> = 0.040) and years of incarceration (OR = 3.808, 95% CI 1.350 – 10.739, p < /em> = 0.011) were associated with carriage of meningitis-causing bacteria. Conclusion: This study showed carriage of potential meningitis-causing bacteria in a Ghanaian prison. Multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine is key to controlling meningococcal disease outbreaks.

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