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Published on: February 23, 2014

The epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in infants and children

J O Klein

    Reviews of Infectious Diseases
    |March 1, 1981
    PubMed

    Insights

    Streptococcus pneumoniae causes common infant infections like pneumonia and meningitis. The available pneumococcal vaccine covers most disease-causing strains in the US, offering crucial protection.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatrics
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Microbiology

    Background:

    • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia, otitis media, and bacteremia in children.
    • Infants exhibit the highest incidence rates of pneumococcal disease, with specific age peaks for meningitis, otitis media, and pneumonia-related hospitalizations.
    • Demographic factors such as male predominance and racial disparities (higher rates of bacteremia/meningitis in Black children, lower otitis media incidence) influence disease patterns.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To summarize the epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in infants and children.
    • To highlight age-specific incidence patterns for different pneumococcal diseases.
    • To discuss demographic variations and the role of pneumococcal serotypes in disease causation.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of recent epidemiological studies on pneumococcal disease.
    • Analysis of age-specific incidence data for meningitis, otitis media, and pneumonia.
    • Examination of demographic factors (age, sex, race) associated with pneumococcal infections.
    • Assessment of pneumococcal serotype distribution and vaccine coverage.

    Main Results:

    • Peak incidence for pneumococcal meningitis occurs at 3-5 months, otitis media at 6-12 months, and pneumonia hospitalization at 13-18 months.
    • Black children show higher rates of bacteremia and meningitis, partly due to sickle cell disease, but lower rates of otitis media compared to White children.
    • Pneumococcal serotype prevalence varies by age, time, and location, with specific serotypes dominating severe infections.

    Conclusions:

    • Streptococcus pneumoniae poses a significant disease burden on infants, with distinct epidemiological patterns.
    • Understanding serotype distribution is critical for vaccine development and public health strategies.
    • The current pneumococcal vaccine effectively targets the majority (85-97%) of disease-causing strains in the US.

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