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Epidemiology of invasive childhood pneumococcal infections in Greece
V Syriopoulou1, G L Daikos, K Soulis
1First Department of Paediatrics, Athens University, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Greece. vsyriop@cc.uoa.gr
Insights
Invasive pneumococcal infections are common in children under 14 in Athens, Greece, with pneumonia being the most frequent type. The 7-valent conjugate vaccine covers most prevalent serotypes, offering significant protection potential.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Invasive pneumococcal infections (IPIs) represent a significant global health concern, particularly in pediatric populations.
- Understanding regional epidemiologic characteristics is crucial for targeted prevention and control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the epidemiological features of IPIS in children under 14 years of age in Athens, Greece.
- To assess the burden and common serotypes of IPIS in the study region.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study was conducted over a 5-year period (1995-1999).
- Data on 590 cases of IPIS were collected from Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital.
- Incidence rates, common infection types, and prevalent serotypes were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The overall annual incidence rate was 44/100,000 children (<14 years), with a higher rate of 100/100,000 for children under 5.
- Pneumonia was the most common infection (472 cases), followed by bacteraemia (79 cases) and meningitis (33 cases).
- Serogroups 14, 19, 6, 18, 23, 4, and 9 accounted for 77% of isolates, and 66% of these are covered by the 7-valent conjugate vaccine.
Conclusions:
- IPIS contribute significantly to pediatric morbidity in the Athens metropolitan area.
- The findings support the potential impact of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in reducing the burden of IPIS in this region.
Unlabelled:
A retrospective study was conducted to identify the epidemiologic characteristics of invasive pneumococcal infections among children <14 y of age in our geographic region. During a 5-y period, from 1995 to 1999, 590 cases of invasive pneumococcal infection were identified in Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. The male to female ratio was 1.4:1 and 64% of patients were younger than 5 y of age. The overall annual incidence rate was estimated as 44/100,000 children <14y of age, whereas the incidence rate for children <5y of age was 100/100,000. The most common types of infections were pneumonia (472 cases; 133 definite and 339 probable), bacteraemia without focus (79 cases), and meningitis (33 cases). A seasonal variation of invasive pneumococcal infections was noted, with two peaks--one during spring and the other during autumn. Only two cases with meningitis died and one developed permanent neurological sequelae, representing a case-fatality rate for meningitis of 6%. Serogroups 14, 19, 6, 18, 23, 4 and 9 were the most prevalent, comprising 77% of 92 serotyped isolates.
Conclusion:
Invasive pneumococcal infections cause considerable morbidity in the paediatric population in the Athens metropolitan area. Sixty-six percent of the serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease in our region are included in the 7-valent conjugate vaccine.