View clinical trials related to Pneumococcal Carriage.
Filter by:Personal exposure to Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is a known risk factor of severe pneumonia, which is the number one killer of children under five in developing countries. The main source of IAP in developing countries is cooking fires, with an estimated 3 billion people still reliant on biomass stoves for their daily cooking. This study will test the effectiveness of an intervention aimed to reduce IAP, as well as help to quantify the relationship between exposure (IAP) and infection (pneumococcal carriage). In Phase I (adjunct pilot study L2010.99), 3 fuels and 5 stoves were tested to measure harmful pollutant emissions. The preliminary results showed that the largest difference was found in the fuels (briquettes cleaner than wood), with a smaller difference found between a couple of the improved stoves and the traditional 3-stone. Re-testing of selected stove/fuel combinations to confirm findings has just been completed. Phase II (this proposal) will test the biomass briquettes in a randomized clinical trial to measure actual IAP reductions in households. A proof of concept pneumococcal survey will also be conducted as a secondary study to see whether reduced exposure to IAP affects pneumococcal carriage in babies and mothers
This study will follow 1000 refugee infants from birth for two years. The aim of the study is to better understand why some children develop infections caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae whilst others merely carry this organism asymptomatically at the back of the nose (in the nasopharynx). The investigators will also define which micro-organisms cause lower respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia) in this population in order to implement appropriate interventions (e.g., vaccines). Infants will be reviewed monthly and a nasopharyngeal swab will be taken. A group of 250 mother-infant pairs will be studied in greater detail, to improve our understanding of the frequency and outcomes of nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Monthly nasopharyngeal swabs will be collected from mothers and infants. The investigators will measure the infant immune response to Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage or disease by taking monthly blood samples. The investigators will make an assessment of the protective effect of antibodies acquired from the mother during pregnancy by taking blood from the mother and placenta at birth. An assessment of pneumococcal carriage in mothers will also be made to determine how frequently the bacterium is transmitted between family members. All lower respiratory tract infections will be documented, and the causative micro-organisms identified.