[Prevention of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in adults]

The authors believe that the renewal of the position paper, published 10 years ago, is justified for two reasons. Firstly, as a consequence of the global implementation of vaccination strategies and the coronavirus 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic, there has been a significant serotype shift in the distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection epidemiology worldwide as well as in Hungary. On the other hand, new 15- and 20-valent conjugate vaccines have become available for prevention. Among respiratory tract infections, invasive pneumococcal infections continue to represent a significant burden of disease, typically among the youngest children under 5 years of age and older people, especially among those with other chronic underlying conditions. Furthermore, adults with certain chronic diseases and immunocompromised patients regardless of age are also more susceptible to invasive disease. The present position paper proposes prevention strategies for adults taking into account the epidemiological changes and recent international recommendations (World Health Organization [WHO], Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [CDC–ACIP], Ständige Impfkomission, Standing Committee on Vaccination [STIKO]), in the light of currently available vaccines for the prevention of pneumococcal infections. Orv Hetil. 2024; 165(51): 2008–2014.