Experts warn of increase in invasive pneumococcal disease cases in 2023

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The pandemic resulted in a sharp decline in invasive pneumococcal disease cases in children under two years of age in 2020. However, at the end of non-pharmaceutical measures against Covid-19, the increase in case numbers returned to pre-pandemic levels. 2022. Only between 2022 and 2023 will there be a significant increase in serotype 3 in children, with this serotype also becoming the dominant serotype in adults over 65 years of age.

The hospitalization rate for invasive pneumococcal disease in children under 1 year of age was 18.6 per 10,000 inhabitants.

The study showed that the hospitalization rate for this bacterium among children under 1 year old was 18.6 cases per 10,000 residents, decreased with age until adolescence, and increased again with age until reaching 18.6 cases per 10,000 residents among residents over 85 years old. 65.75 cases per 10,000 residents.

In this case, and “Taking into account the evolutionary characteristics of bacteria”Dr. Fernando Baquero Artigao, coordinator of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital of La Paz in Madrid, believes “It is essential to have a robust epidemiological surveillance system that assesses the most prevalent serotypes at any time, allowing the strategy to be modified by including the vaccine that best meets the needs of each moment”.

“It is essential to have a strong epidemiological surveillance system to assess the most prevalent serotypes at any time”

In Spain, the use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has contributed to reducing the incidence of vaccine serotypes causing invasive and non-invasive disease in vaccinated and unvaccinated children and adults.

“Systemic pneumococcal vaccination of children could reduce the burden of disease and the most severe cases. The most vulnerable are children under 5 years of age and especially those under 2 years of age. “The development of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines represents a huge Advances because they offer greater long-term protection and act on children’s nasopharynx, a major source of disease transmission. “explains Dr. Fernando Baquero Mochales, Research Professor in the Field of Biology and Microbial Evolution at the Microbiology Service of the Ramón y Cajal Health Institute (IRYCIS) and Ramón y Cajal Hospital.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines help reduce the incidence of vaccine serotypes that cause invasive and noninvasive pneumococcal disease.

One of the main conditions caused by pneumococcal bacteria is pneumonia, an acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs and can be caused by viruses (influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, etc.), fungi, or bacteria. In addition to pneumonia, pneumococcal disease can cause other conditions such as otitis media, pneumococcal meningitis, bacteremia, and sepsis.