Abstract:
Displaced populations due to disasters often inevitably seek refuge In evacuation camps
Similarly, most of those displaced following 2004 Tsunami had to live in temporary
shelters set up in the affected districts of Sri Lanka These camps usually accommodate a
large number of people in a limited space, leading to overcrowding and poor hygiene
,Therefore, they are efficient environments for the colonization with potential respiratory
bacterial pathogens in the nasopharynx : of Inhabitants, particularly children living in the
camps Out of 238 NP samples obtained from children living in the camps, 139 (584 percent
) NP samples were positive for potential respiratory bacterial pathogens, whereas out of 115
NP samples obtained from children living in homes, there were 56 (48.69 percent ) positive
NP samples. Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenza and Moraxella catarrhalis
were isolated in 88 (37 percent ), 83 (34.9 percent ), 06 (2.52 percent ) NP samples obtained
from children living in the camps Of the NP samples obtained from children living in
the homes.
