OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of children who suffered from Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) septicemia and the drug sensitivity of SP strains.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 25 children with SP septicemia between January 2009 and December 2012.

RESULTSOf the 25 cases, 16 (64%) were aged under 2 years, 5 (20%) were aged 2-5 years, and 4 (16%) were aged over 5 years. Fourteen cases (56%) were complicated by infection of other organs, and 5 cases (20%) had underlying chronic diseases. Fever was the most common clinical manifestation, and the majority presented with remittent fever. Eight patients with pneumonia or pyothorax had pulmonary symptoms. Five patients with purulent meningitis had neurological symptoms, five cases had hepatosplenomegaly and two cases had septic shock. Nineteen cases (76%, 19/25) had significantly elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts, twenty-one cases (84%, 21/25) had significantly elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and eight cases (50%, 8/16) had significantly elevated serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels. The drug sensitivity analysis showed that invasive SP had high resistance rates to penicillin (96%), clindamycin hydrochloride (88%) and erythromycin (84%), and it was completely sensitive to imipenem, vancomycin, levofloxacin and linezolid. The multi-drug resistance rate of invasive SP was up to 88%. Twenty-three cases (92%) were cured or improved after active treatment.

CONCLUSIONSSP septicemia is commonly seen in children aged under 2 years. The most common clinical manifestation is fever, accompanied by elevated WBC count, CRP level and PCT level, and it is usually complicated by pulmonary or brain infection. Resistance to multiple antibiotics is very common in SP strains, so it is important to properly use antibiotics according to drug sensitivity test results. Patients who receive active treatment have a good clinical outcome.