Trends in Invasive Pneumoccocal Disease

May. 26, 2017

Infection with pneumococcal bacteria causes serious diseases such as meningitis and bacteremia, collectively known as invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), as well as lung, sinuses, and middle ear infections. In a newly published study, we followed the incidence of IPD in Manitoba between 2001 and 2014.

IPD in children has been decreasing since Manitoba introduced two childhood vaccines targeting certain pneumococcal bacteria types. In adults, IPD incidence due to these same types has also declined, but overall IPD rates have remained high, because other pneumococcal bacteria types replaced the ones targeted by the vaccines. The full study can be found here http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2017.1320006.