Pneumococcal infections are a major public health issue in Vietnam, causing a high number of community-acquired pneumonia cases and deaths, especially among young children. The rise in antibiotic resistance has made treatment even more challenging.
The Zoonoses research group at OUCRU, in collaboration with Children’s Hospital 2 and Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, hosted a workshop on the latest research and practical solutions for pneumococcal infections.
The workshop featured presentations by the study team at OUCRU and doctors from Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, who have completed their Master training at OUCRU, highlighting four key aspects of pneumococcal disease :
- “The distribution of serotypes in healthy children” presented by Ms Huynh Xuan Yen, Pharm, OUCRU.
- “The association between antibiotic resistance and pneumococcal serotypes with invasive pneumococcal infections including meningitis and blood-stream infections in children” presented by Ms Dang Nguyen Huong Trinh, MD, MSc, PNTU.
- “The distribution of pneumococcal serotypes and their antibiotic resistance in children with community-acquired pneumonia” presented by Dr Nguyen Trung Thanh, PhD, OUCRU.
- “The prevalence of co-infection with multiple pathogens in children with community-acquired pneumonia” presented by Mr Tran Si Nguyen, MD, MSc, PNTU and Ms Phung Le Kim Yen, MSc, OUCRU.
These presentations provided valuable insights, combining clinical data with practical applications.
A highlight of the event was the lively debate and discussion on serotype distribution, antibiotic resistance, co-infection and pneumococcal vaccine coverage, where experts shared experiences, shared the need for more information which suggested further investigation.
The participants took part in the pre- and post-seminar information collection. With a high satisfaction score of 9/10, the workshop also demonstrated strong and productive research collaborations and provided an excellent platform for the dissemination of project findings.
Via project implementation, OUCRU provided the opportunities for training of medical professionals, including one medical resident, one specialist level II for Children Hospital No. 2 and three Master’s graduates, who are lecturers at the Microbiology Department of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine; and one MSc student for Zoonoses group at OUCRU. The project is seeking a PhD candidate to join the research team and help advance these critical studies.
These trainings were successful thanks to the collaborative efforts between OUCRU scientists and professional educators, Prof Ngo Minh Xuan, Assoc Prof Pham Thi Minh Hong, Specialist level II Dr Trinh Huu Tung, Specialist level II Dr Nguyen Minh Ngoc, Dr Huynh Minh Tuan, and Dr Tran Thi Hue Van.
The workshop not only provided professional information but also research into clinical practice, ultimately advancing patient care and public health. Organised under the CHANCES project, this workshop is part of a larger study investigating Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage in Vietnamese children. The project’s findings are anticipated to be published in 2025.
****
About the Project: The CHANCES project, officially titled “Streptococcus Pneumoniae Carriage in Healthy and Community-Acquired Pneumonia Children in the Community: The Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles in Vietnam”, was conducted from August 2020 to December 2024.
The project was funded by Pfizer and led by Principal Investigator Assoc Prof Ngo Thi Hoa
We are looking for a PhD candidate to work with Assoc Prof Ngo Thi Hoa and the Zoonoses group on this project. Find more information.
