Invasive pneumococcal disease surveillance Australia, 1 January to 31 March 2014.

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and results in illnesses such as pneumonia, bacteraemia and meningitis. There are currently more than 90 serotypes recognised worldwide, approximately half of which are found in Australia where IPD has been a nationally notifiable disease since 2001. The Communicable Diseases Network Australia established the Enhanced Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Surveillance Working Group in 2000 to assist in developing and implementing a nationally standardised approach to the enhanced surveillance of IPD in Australia. This quarterly report documents trends in notified cases of IPD occurring in Australia in the 1st quarter of 2014.