RESUMEN
Introduction. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are both commensals of the human nasopharynx with a high capacity to cause upper and lower respiratory tract infections.Aim. Molecular testing of nasopharyngeal samples from children at the primary care paediatric department presenting with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs).Methodology. From June 2016 to May 2017, 156 nasopharyngeal swabs from children diagnosed with ARTIs who had been admitted to or followed up as outpatients at the Department of Paediatrics, SANADOR Hospital (Bucharest, Romania) were tested for the presence of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis DNA.Results. S. pneumoniae had the highest detection rate (53.8 %, n=84/156), followed by H. influenzae (41 %, n=64/156) and S. pneumoniae/H. influenzae co-detection (26.2 %, n=41/156).Conclusion. A definitive laboratory diagnosis of these micro-organisms can be made for invasive disease, but there are difficulties in establishing the aetiology for mucosal infection. Molecular detection tests could complement culture-based tests by strengthening their surveillance.